THE oldest of the five British horseracing 'Classics', the St Leger, was first run at Doncaster in 1776, the same year as the American Declaration of Independence. To trainer Sir Michael Stoute, who had tried and failed to win the race 25 times in a career spanning 34 years, it was beginning to feel like the 18th century since he had first taken a shot at the only major prize to have escaped his clutches.
Among a trail of agonising near misses and also-rans, nine-time champion trainer Stoute had even saddled the mighty Shergar in an attempt to win the 1981 St Leger – the ill-fated colt's final appearance on a racecourse, before his kidnapping and dis
appearance.
Stoute's run of second places in the Leger numbered five, and he was starting to doubt whether he would ever taste victory on the famous Town Moor track in South Yorkshire. But barren runs are there to be broken, and thanks to the talismanic services of the irrepresible Frankie Dettori, the cricket-loving trainer was finally able to break his duck on Saturday as the Italian rider partnered Conduit to victory.
After performing his trademark flying dismmount from Conduit's back, a jubilant Dettori laughed: "I said to Michael that he has had (jockeys such as] Lester Piggott, Willie Carson, Walter Swinburn, Pat Eddery, Kieren Fallon, Steve Cauthen and Ryan Moore, so I was the last name on his book and I have got him out of trouble."
Horse races are inescapably about winners and losers, however, and for Moore there was only dejection as he rued some bad pre-race judgment.
As stable jockey to Stoute he had been given the pick of the trainer's two runners in the big race, opting instead to ride Doctor Fremantle. Moore's mount weakened out of contention to finish eighth of 14, leaving him with a distant view of the one that got away.
Moore made himself scarce as Stoute and Dettori embraced in the winner's enclosure and the winning jockey offered words of consolation. "I just feel sorry for Ryan as he had a difficult choice to make, but I was the blessed one and got the good ride," said Dettori. "I have picked the wrong one many times. I have won the race for five different trainers and it has been an unbelievable race. To win five Legers is beyond my wildest dream."
Dettori has certainly woven his name deep into the tapestry of a fascinating race. St Leger history began in September 1776, when the first race was run over two miles on Cantley Common in Doncaster for a sweepstake of 25 guineas. It moved to its present home at Town Moor three years later and though it has temporarily flitted to other venues, including Ayr in 1989, it has been run every year with only one exception – 1939, when it was cancelled due to the outbreak of the Second World War.
The latest renewal saw Dettori roared on by a crowd of 35,000 as 8-1 winner Conduit stylishly saw out ever yard of the one mile, six-and-a-half furlong distance. The 9-4 favourite Frozen Fire never landed a blow, but the colt's unstoppable trainer Aidan O'Brien who has taken a record number of big races this season, still managed to win the Irish St Leger with Septimus, run at the Curragh the same day.
