Wathnan Racing's Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), victorious in the G2 Queen's Vase S. at Royal Ascot in June, will attempt to return to his winning ways in the Sept. 16 G1 Betfred St Leger. Undefeated heading into the Royal meeting, the 3-year-old finished third as the favorite in York's G2 Great Voltigeur S. Aug. 23.
Wathnan Racing advisor Richard Brown said, “We said after Ascot that his main target would be the Leger and that [the Great Voltigeur] was the obvious race to take en route. We'd love to have won it, but they went pretty hard up front–those early fractions were pretty fierce. We were initially disappointed, but then you see where the two horses that went with him finished and where he finished. Frankie [Dettori] looked after him when his winning chance had gone and actually when he stood up on him, the horse ran on again on his own.”
Looking ahead, he added, “Back up to a mile and six [furlongs] in the Leger is going to be much more his game. I've been in racing long enough not to be overly optimistic as things go wrong and maybe he's not good enough, but I think he's going to go there with a big chance.”
Gregory is the 3-1 market leader for the Leger with Paddy Power, with his York conqueror Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) a 4-1 shot and Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who carries the colours of the King and Queen, next in line at 11-2.
Brown said, “He's come out of the race in great shape, John and Thady [Gosden] are very happy with him, it's all systems go and we're looking forward to it.”
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