Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
FRANKIE LOG JAM
Victory is sweet for Dettori
LOGICIAN proved sound of mind and able of body to trigger Doncaster delirium in the William Hill St Leger.
Punters placed their faith in the Frankie Dettori-partnered grey, a perfect four from four going into the final Classic and sent off the 5-6 hotpot on the back of victory in his Leger trial, York’s Great Volitigeur Stakes, last month.
Sitting off a fierce pace set by Western Australia, Dettori dashed Logician to the front two furlongs from home.
And the John Gosdentrained son of Frankel, racing beyond a mileand-a-half for the first time, stayed on (above) to beat Sir Ron Priestley by two-and-a-quarter lengths, while lowering the track record.
Dettori, on board Gosden’s first British Classic victor – 1996 St Leger hero Shantou – and now celebrating a sixth success in the race, beamed: “They went fast but I knew from two out I’d won. There’s almost 30,000 people here and it felt like everybody had lumped on.
“The favourite obliges, and everybody’s happy!
“John was always keen on this horse. He made me go to Newbury one evening and ride him in a handicap. I thought, ‘That was a bit strange!’ But he obviously had big targets in mind and he showed in the Voltigeur that he’s a good horse.
“He’s a baby and there’s plenty more to come next year.”
Owner Prince Khalid Abdullah’s late developer – Logician was unraced as a twoyear-old – will now head for his winter quarters before a preparation for the top mile-and-a-half races in 2020. Paddy Power quote him at 14-1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
“I think a mile-and-ahalf will be absolutely right up his alley, but this is a Classic – this is the Leger – and Prince Khalid was keen to come to it,” said Gosden, who captured the Oaks with another of Frankel’s progeny, Anapurna.
“He’s come on a long journey to win the Leger in track-record time.
“He’s just gorgeous to be around. He’s got this wonderful stride and this laid-back attitude.”
Dettori has now scored 15 times at the highest level this year but is already focused on another Group 1 – aboard Gosden and Abdullah’s Enable, who seeks a history-making Arc hat-trick at Longchamp three weeks today.