MURPHY’S MISSION
KEW GARDENS can underline his status as the class horse in the William Hill St Leger (3.35, ITV) by capturing the oldest Classic at Doncaster today.
Ryan Moore’s mount, one of five participants representing
Aidan O’brien (right), is the only runner in the 12-strong lineup who has won at the highest level.
Kew Gardens is a late bloomer – when he returned ninth of 12 behind Masar in the Derby in June, he looked for all the world like a useful but unexceptional colt.
But the son of Galileo then ran away with the Group 2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot 18 days later, before a top-level triumph in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp in July.
My selection finished third to MAN OF THE MOMENT Oisin Murphy seeks a new landmark as Roaring Lion takes centre stage in the Irish Champion Stakes (6.35, ATR) at Leopardstown today.
Murphy has won four British Group 1s — including Sandown’s Coral-eclipse and the International at York on Roaring Lion, as well as Haydock’s Sprint Cup on The Tin Man last Saturday — during a golden summer.
But the Cork-born 23-year-old, who has never won a race in his homeland, bids to open his account in the feature Group 1 contest as Irish Champions Weekend gets underway.
“I can’t wait,” said Murphy (right). “Roaring Lion looked the winner the whole way up the straight at York, and I was sat on a lot of horse when everyone else was asking
for maximum effort.”