The Leger Legends event for former jockeys is never going to be the highest-quality event on the opening day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster, but it usually comes up with something a little different and this year it gives a dual Derby-winning jockey a chance to make a brief return from retirement at the age of only 23.
Joseph O’Brien, whose height and weight issues finally overtook him a few months ago, is also returning to the scene of what was almost certainly the lowest moment of his riding career, when he was beaten aboard the odds-on favourite Camelot in the 2012 St Leger as the colt attempted to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1970.
Victory on Phosphorescence this afternoon would do little to scrub out the memory of that defeat – O’Brien, who was 19 at the time, looked as if his world had collapsed on top of him as he was led back to unsaddle. Yet he returned to win the Leger 12 months later on Leading Light, and he is not only the youngest, and almost certainly fittest, rider in the field by a long way, but also, in terms of Classic victories, the most successful.
A jockey can only take a horse so far, however, and Phosphorescence, O’Brien’s partner in today’s race over the straight mile, is not the most obvious winner. He has had only four races since December 2013 and has not seen a racecourse since July 2015, when he finished 10th off a mark of 74 in an 11-furlong handicap at Kempton.
He is quite weak in the market this morning as well, and Pike Corner Cross (3.35), who will have Ollie Pears in the saddle, may be a better option. Ed de Giles’s runner arrives on the back of a recent victory off 67, and has shown impressive consistency during a busy campaign.
Elsewhere on the card, there is little doubt that Thesme is the fastest horse in the Scarbrough Stakes, following her fifth place in the Nunthorpe last time when she led the field until just over a furlong out. She is back down to Listed company today, but Muthmir (3.00) was a Group Two winner last season and may have the class to reel her in.
Mutawatheb (2.30) has a good chance at the weights in the nursery, while Akhlaaq (2.00) managed to win at Salisbury on his racecourse debut in August despite showing plenty of inexperience and can follow up today. Loaded (4.00) also looks solid at Carlisle, while Oh Land Abloom (3.50) should go well in an interesting handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter.
Tipping competition, day three
Our winners so far:
Monday: Green Zone 5-1, Purple Party 9-2, Fast Act 10-1,
Tuesday: Heir To A Throne 13-2, Noble Peace 8-1, Baysbrown 13-8
Standings after Day Two
jakebuckfast +16.63
lcprestes +15.13
BearRides +12.50
wemeanyounoharm +5.50
wiggy12 +5.50
cerises +5
diegosigod +3
melonk +3
AshleyBrook +3
joehow +3
ID3814422 +3
orso +2.13
Rivercity +1.50
Esherhammer +1.50
MrWinnersSonInLaw +1.50
Copshaw +1.50
ubikubik +0
jamesstod +0
yasmin11 +0
72luca +0
FinsburyPark -0.50
DrKelso -0.50
Mulldog -0.50
Harrytheactor -0.50
sandiuk -0.50
Crasivo -0.50
moidadem -0.50
elliot45 -0.50
LansonUproar -3.37
23skidoo -3.37
johne5knuckle -3.37
William36 -3.37
Perry Tang -3.37
Fixxxer -3.37
AndieAndson -3.37
robertkeen -3.37
GipsyHiller -6
slackdad38 -6
Ormrod76 -6
millreef -6
Geoff Staddon -6
Renzofan -6
BatmanKaisers -6
donlewis -6
kingklynch -6
chris1623 -6
Ellandback -6
JahLion -6
slowhandray -6
gregcwb -6
waltersobchak -6
TL127 -6
LexLondon -6
ID0228872 -6
kmill68 -6
Toptrapper -6
Blitzwing -6
GForce1 -6
Bacciodilupo -6
16heathermac01 -6
maghazi -6
Ben Leo -6
ps4999 -6
Bonzodrongo -6
spudpt -6
TheVic -6
Goldkid999 -6
goodfellow1 -6
Bigboozer -6
titusisashambles -6
PHILYERBOOTS -6
Lindsey6677 -6
Sportingbest -6
scarletdragon -6
GandT123 -6
dean055 -6
Cairo -6
Jakebuckfast hit the front by picking Noble Peace AND Baysbrown, while lcprestes is a handy second after a different double on Day Two.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.00 Doncaster, 3.35 Doncaster, 5.15 Doncaster.
The prize for our final competition of 2016 is a copy of the new volume of Chasers & Hurdlers, to be published next month by Timeform. Running to 1,100 pages and retailing at £75, it is a big, beautiful record of the last jumps season, including many of the famous Timeform essays discussing the major performers and the issues raised during the winter. Evidently one of the essays suggests that some stewards are “blind ... to non-triers”! If you don’t win, you can buy a copy here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -6.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Alas, we’re not going to be able to continue with these competitions every week and this one will be the last until the new year. A reorganisation of duties has meant we no longer have the time needed to keep scores while also obtaining and distributing prizes.
We will still have competitions in the biggest weeks (Cheltenham, Aintree, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and maybe one or two others, as well as the Christmas quiz). And we’ll still have a Talking Horses each day for tips, analysis and news, so we very much hope you’ll join us to chew over whatever racing happens to be going on, especially those of you who have been in the habit of sharing winning tips at good prices.
It’s been almost eight years since DrKelso won our very first competition, which is not a bad length of time to sustain something like this. Congratulations to all our winners since then, commiserations if you never quite got your nose in front; there will be fewer chances to break your duck now but there will still be chances, so stay with us.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
