Red was off colour for Dunlop

TRAINER Ed Dunlop has warned that leading hope Red Verdon has had a troubled build-up to the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday as the horse has been blighted with ‘health issues’. The admission from Dunlop casts doubt on the chances of one of the few British-trained contenders with the form to prevent the final Classic of the season turning into an Aidan O’Brien one-man show. Ireland’s champion trainer has half the 14 remaining possibles for the mile-and-three-quarter contest headed by Great Voltigeur Stakes winner and 10-11 favourite Idaho. Red Verdon, 8-1 fourth favourite and ridden by James Doyle, finished sixth in the Derby, fourth in the Irish Derby and second in the Grand Prix de Paris. But Dunlop (right) said: ‘He is all set but it was touch and go. We have had one or two health issues. It has been a bit of a struggle getting him there. He wasn’t healthy enough to run in the Voltigeur. ‘Without the hiccups we’d be confident of him running a huge race but we are having to take things a little bit on trust.’ Ryan Moore, who needs the Leger to complete his Classic set, will ride Idaho before flying over to Leopardstown to partner O’Brien’s star filly Minding in the Irish Champion Stakes. O’Brien could have ‘three or four’ Leger runners. Houses of parliament, the Voltigeur second, definitely runs and could be joined by Queen’s Vase winner Sword Fighter, Galway Maiden winner Triplicate or Melrose Stakes third Unicorn. Shortest-priced British runner at 11-2 is Muntahaa, trained by John Gosden and ridden by Paul Hanagan. Frankie Dettori, winner of the Leger five times, has no ride. He will be at Leopardstown riding Gosden’s unbeaten Persuasive in the Group One Matron Stakes. The most significant withdrawals at yesterday’s penultimate forfeit stage were Derby seventh Algometer, trained by David Simcock, and Gosden’s Wings of Desire. Jim Bolger’s Twilight Payment was declared but subsequently scratched.