By Tom Frary
On a bonanza day for the TDN Rising Stars, KHK Racing Ltd's Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) swooped to conquer in Sunday's feature G1 Cazoo St Leger at Doncaster. Settled in mid-division early by David Egan, the Roger Varian-trained 9-2 joint-second favourite who captured the G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot June 15 was delivered wide in the straight to overhaul the 11-8 market-leader New London (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the supplemented Haskoy (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) approaching the furlong pole.
Staying on strongly to the line, the bay who had finished behind Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) in the July 14 G1 Grand Prix de Paris when last seen had two lengths on Juddmonte's filly there as New London eventually rallied to be half a length away in third. In a twist to the tale, Haskoy was demoted to fourth by the stewards having caused interference to the fourth-placed Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), so that New London was moved up to second and that colt placed third.
“Ease in the ground helped and he hit the line really strongly,” Egan said. “Winning a Classic is something special. It's a week since Jack de Bromhead passed away and he was who I thought about crossing the line. It's been a sad week with Her Majesty dying.”
One of the race's least-exposed runners heading to post, Eldar Eldarov had earned TDN Rising Star status on debut by five lengths over an extended mile at Nottingham in October before doubling his tally in a 10-furlong Newcastle novice May 24. There must be a sense of what-might-have-been for connections of Zechariah (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), with the late withdrawal beaten only a nose by the eventual Leger winner in the Queen's Vase, while those close to the previous day's Irish Champion runner-up Onesto and the afternoon's Niel scorer Simca Mille will also have watched the action unfold on Town Moor with a deal of interest.
This was relatively straightforward for David Egan, who tracked New London throughout in fifth switched off perfectly for this marathon test given the added stamina demands of the ground. He was still on the tail of Godolphin's favourite at the top of the straight and William Buick looked content there but as soon as he was asked to extend he found it as difficult as he had at Chester earlier in the season. That left the door open to Eldar Eldarov, who needed no second invitation and after he had swamped his chief rival at the furlong pole he was the only runner still going forward with relish at the line.
Roger Varian admitted to confidence beforehand. “I quietly thought he had a real big shout today,” he said. “Not everybody was wowed by his run in France last time out, but the winner went and pushed Luxembourg all the way in the Irish Champion S. He had a tough race that day which is why he didn't run again and he was only just getting going at the line in France.”
“His run at Royal Ascot showed he had stamina in abundance and that race is proving a good trial for the Leger. He's also handled soft ground as a 2-year-old, so I knew he'd stay and handle the ground, it was whether he was good enough. I think we see him as a Cup horse next season, he's blessed with stamina and has an admirable attitude,” Varian added. “If he stays sound, we could have him for the next two, three or four years.”
There was a sting in the tail for connections of Haskoy, with Ralph Beckett the victim of another possibly harsh decision from the Doncaster stewards as he had been in 2015 with Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}). Frankie's attempt to keep the filly from veering towards the far rail was unsuccessful and as she took the ground of Giavellotto two out her fate was sealed despite her gallant efforts from there.
As he did in 2015, Ralph Beckett will appeal the stewards' decision but before he learned of the outcome he had said of the runner-up, “She ran a huge race and there is nothing to say other than we found one too good–that is it really. She'll probably go on holiday now. She's done a lot in a short space of time. The only other option would be the Prix de Royallieu, but I suspect she'll have a holiday.”
Charlie Appleby said of New London, “He ran a solid race, Will just said he feels better on a better surface. He said he couldn't say he didn't stay, as he came back at them at the line. We might put him away for the winter now.”
Pedigree Notes
Ahead of the Arc bid of Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), this result was further enhancement of Kirsten Rausing's amazing dynasty of Alruccaba (Ire) who is Eldar Eldarov's fourth dam. Becoming the 53rd top-level winner for his sire, who had the one-two after Haskoy's demotion, he is the third foal out of Rausing's triple listed winner All At Sea (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) whose first was the Listed Rothesay S.-placed filly A La Voile (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). The second dam is the three-times Group 1-winning Albanova (GB) (Alzao), who produced the black-type-winning stayers Algometer (GB) (Archipenko), Alignak (GB) by Sea The Stars's son Sea The Moon (Ger) and Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}).
Alwilda is the dam of the now five-times Group 1 winner Alpinista, while the third dam is the Listed Oyster S. winner Alouette (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) who also produced what was prior to the current Sir Mark Prescott luminary Rausing's best performer in the dual G1 Champion S. heroine Alborada (GB) from another mating with Alzao. Alouette is kin to the G3 Doncaster Cup winner Alleluia (GB) (Caerleon), herself the dam of the G1 Prix Royal-Oak heroine Allegretto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and to Alzao's G2 Nassau S. winner Last Second (Ire) who threw the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulians hero and sire Aussie Rules. This is also the family of Sadler's Wells's Yesterday (Ire), Quarter Moon (Ire) and Dragon Dancer (GB), the G2 City Of York S. scorer Shine So Bright (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the Group 1 performer Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}). All At Sea's once-raced 2-year-old colt by Roaring Lion is named Kingswood (GB), while she also has a yearling filly by Study of Man (Ire) and a colt foal by Lope De Vega (Ire).
Saturday, Doncaster, Britain
CAZOO ST LEGER S.-G1, £786,000, Doncaster, 9-11, 3yo, 14f 115yT, 3:08.39, g/s.
1–ELDAR ELDAROV (GB), 129, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: All At Sea (GB) (MSW-Fr, $133,622),
by Sea The Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Albanova (GB), by Alzao
3rd Dam: Alouette (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. (£110,000 Ylg '20
GOFOR; €556,800 2yo '21 ARQDEA). O-KHK Racing; B-Miss K
Rausing (GB); T-Roger Varian; J-David Egan. £445,741. Lifetime
Record: 5-4-0-0, $747,755. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–New London (Ire), 129, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Bright Beacon (GB),
by Manduro (Ger). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin
(IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £84,574.
3–Giavellotto (Ire), 129, c, 3, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Gerika (Fr),
by Galileo (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE, 1ST
GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Scuderia la Tesa Limited; B-Societa
Agricola La Tesa SRL (IRE); T-Marco Botti. £42,130.
Margins: 2, NK, HD. Odds: 4.50, 1.38, 28.00.
Also Ran: Haskoy (GB), Emily Dickinson (Ire), El Habeeb (Ire), French Claim (Fr), Hoo Ya Mal (GB), Lizzie Jean (GB).
Eldar Eldarov, winner of the G1 St Leger, looks like he has such a willing attitude! A second win in the race for trainer @varianstable. pic.twitter.com/x2cqXoPY5d
— TDN (@theTDN) September 11, 2022
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