The Scotsman

Dettori opts for Coronet

● Stradivari­us plays second fiddle for Gosden in St Leger

- By KEITH HAMER

Frankie Dettori has elected to ride Coronet over better-fancied stablemate Stradivari­us in the William Hill St Leger at Doncaster tomorrow.

Trainer John Gosden has four Leger wins to Dettori’s five and is again expected to play a leading role on Town Moor, with Coronet, last time finishing second to the yard’s brilliant Enable in the Yorkshire Oaks, joined by Royal Ascot winner Stradivari­us.

James Doyle comes in for the ride on Stradivari­us, who followed up his Queen’s Vase success at the Royal meeting with victory over Big Orange in the Goodwood Cup.

Capri (Ryan Moore) spearheads a four-strong team trained by Aidan O’brien, whose string comprises of Venice Beach (Seamie Heffernan), Douglas Macarthur (Emmet Mcnamara) and The Anvil (Michael Hussey).

A grey son of Galileo, Capri took the coveted scalp of Cracksman in the Irish Derby but missed his intended prep race in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last month after suffering a slight setback.

The Ballydoyle handler goes to Doncaster in search of a fifth success in the world’s oldest Classic.

In contrast, O’brien’s son, Joseph, saddles Rekindling just four years after steering Leading Light to Leger glory as a jockey.

Sir Michael Stoute, pictured, has a leading contender in Crystal Ocean, who warmed up for his big day with victory in the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Roger Varian has a fascinatin­g candidate in the progressiv­e Defoe, winner of all his four starts this season, while Brian Meehan is expecting a big run from Bahrain Trophy scorer Raheen House. Count Octave, trained by Andrew Balding, completes the line-up. The two withdrawal­s at the 48-hour final declaratio­n stage were Abyssinian and Air Supremacy, both from the O’brien stable.

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