PUNTERS PLUNGE ON FRANKIE’S CHANCE SAN UTD
PUNTERS are latching on to Frankie Dettori’s likely mount Santiago in Saturday’s Pertemps St Leger.
The colt – one of 15 entries at the fiveday stage – now shares favouritism at 11- 4 with Pyledriver for the season’s final Classic at Doncaster.
Coral spokesman David Stevens said: “With the Frankie factor, Santiago will probably go off favourite on Saturday.”
Ryan Moore ruled himself out of partnering Santiago by riding in France last weekend, but he will be allowed to team up with Magical in Saturday’s Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
Dettori will be hoping it will be another St Leger celebration with Santiago’s trainer Aidan O’brien. The pair successfully joined forces with Scorpion in 2005, while victory for the connections of Pyledriver will resemble David toppling Goliath.
Of the 15 horses left in, O’brien also has Dawn Patrol, Mythical and Tiger Moth entered, and his son Joseph is toying with the idea of running Galileo Chrome.
“It’s 60- 40 that he goes for the St Leger at Doncaster,” said O’brien who was denied a Triple Crown victory in the saddle on Camelot in the 2012 Leger when runner- up to Encke.
“He has other options like the Irish St Leger and France the week afterwards but we’re seriously considering Doncaster.”
There is also uncertainty regarding Ed Walker’s English King, who also has an
LEADING HOPE: Santiago has been well backed for the St Leger entry in the Grand Prix de Paris. Paris Meanwhile, Magical faces a tough ask in her attempt to make it a successive victory in the Irish Champion Stakes with Ghaiyyath, rated the best in the world, running along with Sottsass, last year’s French Derby winner.
Ghaiyyath’s expected participation will effectively rule him out of next month’s Prix de l’arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.
Latest ( Coral) St Leger betting: 11- 4 Pyledriver, Santiago, 10- 3 Hukum, 7 Galileo Chrome, 9 Tiger Moth, 12 English King, 14 Subjectivist, 16 Believe In Love, Dawn Patrol, 25 Max Vega, 33 Berkshire Rocco, Mohican Heights, 40 Sunchart.