CRYSTAL LOOKS A ST LEGER GEM

STARTS WITH THE TOP RACING Stoute wins 10th Gordon Stakes

CRYSTAL OCEAN produced a sparkling display at Glorious Goodwood to emerge as a serious St Leger contender.

He made waves in the betting for the world’s oldest Classic after giving Sir Michael Stoute a 10th win in the Qatar Gordon Stakes.

The son of Sea The Stars came out on top in his first attempt on soft ground as he reversed Royal Ascot form with Khalidi in great style.

Ryan Moore had the 6-4 favourite off the pace set by Mount Moriah until the business end, where he quickened nicely to put the race to bed, seeing off Khalidi.

Crystal Ocean was cut to 4-1 from

12-1 for the Leger – the final Classic of the Flat season at Doncaster on September 16 by Ladbrokes. Betfair went 6-1 from 14-1 and Paddy Power

6-1 from 12-1.

Moore said: “He’s a lightly-raced colt and he’s progressed with every run. He’ll be better as the year goes on and be better next year.”

Asked about the Leger, he said: “He’ll stay but I don’t really think he’s a 1m 6f horse.

“He’s got plenty of ability and he will get better next year. I don’t know if he’s a Leger horse. That will be for Michael to decide, he’s got a couple of months to get there yet.”

Stoute seemed much keener on a

St Leger bid.

He said: “He is a horse we’ve always liked and Ryan has always liked him too. We knew he handled soft ground as he did in the Dante.

“My only concern was would he handle this ground. We are certainly thinking about the St Leger. We will see how he comes through this.

“I said before the Dante we didn’t consider him as a Derby horse as he had got to be more mature going into Epsom.

“He is pretty good at this trip. We may do a Conduit who did the Gordon-Leger double in

2008 and have a one-off fling at 1m 6f.” MAKING WAVES: Crystal Ocean