St Leger Gains Pyledriver, Hukum Also Possible

MGSW Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), who won the G2 Great Voltigeur S. on Aug. 19, has been confirmed for the G1 St Leger at Doncaster on Sept. 12, Racing Post reported on Sunday. Trainer William Muir confirmed the news, with the G1 Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp, also on Sept. 12, off the table.

The La Pyle Partnership, consisting of owner/breeders Roger Devlin and brothers Guy and Hugh Leach, raced Pyledriver to a listed success at two. The colt ran second in the G3 Unibet Classic Trial S. over the Kempton all-weather on June 3, before burnishing his G1 Investec Derby claims with a two-length victory in the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot later that month. After a difficult run in the July 4 Derby, Pyledriver sped to a 3 1/2-length score in the Great Voltigeur.

“The plan at the moment is to look at the Leger as long as I'm happy with him-and he looks to be in superb form,” Muir told Racing Post. “He's in the Grand Prix de Paris, but the Leger is for 3-year-olds only, it's a Classic and at this stage, that's where we're going. The owners said you only get one crack at a Classic and the worst that can happen is that he doesn't stay, he gets beaten and we put him away for the year.”

Shadwell's Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who won the G3 Geoffrey Freer S. at Newbury on Aug. 15, is another under consideration for the final Classic of the British season. A winner at second asking at Kempton last November, Hukum took the King George V S. at Royal Ascot on June 17 before his Geoffrey Freer success.

Trainer Owen Burrows said, “Touch wood, he's come out of the race very well, but nothing has been finalised as to where he'll go next. He certainly wasn't stopping at either Ascot or Newbury, so I can't see the trip being an issue, but I have to keep stressing he shows plenty of pace at home and is not simply a stayer.

“I thought William Muir's horse was very impressive in the Great Voltigeur, especially with a penalty, but you'd have to say Aidan [O'Brien] appears to hold all the cards with Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) and a few others. But, this year more than any, if you think you might have a horse for it you'll be tempted to go. We'll speak to Sheikh Hamdan, but the Leger does look the logical next step.”