1 Kingston Hill 9/4F
2 Romsdal 13/2
3 Snow Sky 11/2
NR: Min Alemarat (IRE), Odeon
12 ran Distances: 1¼l, 2l, nk
TIME 3m 5.42s (slow by 1.42s)

Class prevails as the Derby second Kingston Hill beats the Derby third Romsdal

Kingston Hill
© Racehorse Photos

Kingston Hill put doubts about the trip and ground to bed as he stayed on strongly to land the Ladbrokes St Leger by a length and a quarter at Doncaster this afternoon.

The 9/4 favourite was given a peach of a ride from jockey Andrea Atzeni, who left it late to produce his challenge, and, although the horse drifted left across Snow Sky in the final furlong, his rivals could have no match for his staying power as he galloped past Romsdal to claim a famous victory.

Owner Paul Smith was clearly emotional after the race and admitted to shedding a tear or two as his three-year-old passed the post.

"It's brilliant to win a race like this. There will be a few more tears tonight - I was crying as he passed the post!" said Smith. "Obviously it's been a bit of an up and down week with the decision on whether or not to run him but it's been like that all season really. He's been a bit unlucky all year with the ground but we took the plunge to run him and it was the right thing to do.

"It's great for Roger and the team and I think he's made the right call each time. Andrea has given him a great ride as the plan was to give him one long run down the outside and that's exactly what's happened. He was a bit further back than I would have liked about three furlongs out but Andrea rode him perfectly as we thought he'd stay."

Atzeni could also barely contain his delight after the race.

"I'm happy for the horse as he showed us last year what he might be capable of and also for Roger, who has trained him really well this year," said the jockey. "It's great to win races like this, not only for Roger, but also for Paul Smith, who is a lovely man."

Roger Varian, who only made the decision to run Kingston Hill yesterday, was a relieved man following Kingston Hill's success.

"It's terrific - it really hasn't sunk in yet," said the trainer.

"It's an exciting thing to win a Classic and it's what we're all in it for. I thought Andrea rode him brilliantly. The plan was always to come with a long run down the outside as he's not a horse who quickens instantly. He's got a big long stride and a long straight like this is ideal. I was a bit worried three out as I thought we might have a bit too much ground to cover but he's stayed on well and shown his class. It's great for the staff back home as we've got a big team and I know just how much this will mean to them.

"It's been difficult this week. Obviously when we were here on Wednesday and Thursday, the sun was beating down and it looked like the ground was going to be fast come today. However, the cloud cover and dew in the mornings has helped the ground stay as it is and, in the end, we were happy to let him take his chance. We'll obviously see how he is coming out of this race but, assuming he's 100%, we'll have to look at the Arc."

Kingston Hill has now won both his Group One victories at Doncaster, his Ladbrokes St Leger victory following on from his success in the Racing Post Trophy last season. St Leger sponsors Ladbrokes cut Kingston Hill to 10/1 (from 14/1) for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe following the race.

Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes (British Champions Series)
£650,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 6f 132y, Class 1
12 ran
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places

LADBROKES ST LEGER ROLL OF HONOUR (1946-2013)
Year Horse Trainer Jockey Owner SP Ran

2013 LEADING LIGHT Aidan O’Brien Joseph O’Brien Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor 7/2F 11
2012 ENCKE Mahmood Al Zarooni Mickael Barzalona Godolphin 25/1 9
2011 MASKED MARVEL John Gosden William Buick Bjorn Nielsen 15/2 9
2010 ARCTIC COSMOS John Gosden William Buick Rachel Hood & Robin Geffen 12/1 10
2009 MASTERY Saeed bin Suroor Ted Durcan Godolphin 14/1 8
2008 CONDUIT Sir Michael Stoute Frankie Dettori Ballymacoll Stud 8/1 14
2007 LUCARNO John Gosden Jimmy Fortune George Strawbridge 7/2 10
2006** SIXTIES ICON Jeremy Noseda Frankie Dettori Susan Roy 11/8F 11
2005 SCORPION Aidan O’Brien IRE Frankie Dettori Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor 10/11F 6
2004 RULE OF LAW Saeed bin Suroor Kerrin McEvoy Godolphin 3/1JF 9
2003 BRIAN BORU Aidan O’Brien IRE Jamie Spencer Sue Magnier 5/4F 12
2002 BOLLIN ERIC Tim Easterby Kevin Darley Sir Neil & Lady Westbrook 7/1 8
2001 MILAN Aidan O’Brien IRE Michael Kinane Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier 13/8F 10
2000 MILLENARY John Dunlop Richard Quinn Neil Jones 11/4F 11
1999 MUTAFAWEQ Saeed bin Suroor Richard Hills Godolphin 11/2 9
1998 NEDAWI Saeed bin Suroor John Reid Godolphin 5/2F 9
1997 SILVER PATRIARCH John Dunlop Pat Eddery Peter Winfield 5/4F 10
1996 SHANTOU John Gosden Frankie Dettori Sheikh Mohammed 8/1 11
1995 CLASSIC CLICHE Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori Godolphin 100/30F 10
1994 MOONAX Barry Hills Pat Eddery Sheikh Mohammed 40/1 8
1993 BOB'S RETURN Mark Tompkins Philip Robinson Jackie Smith 3/1F 9
1992 USER FRIENDLY Clive Brittain George Duffield Bill Gredley 7/4F 7
1991 TOULON Andre Fabre FR Pat Eddery Khalid Abdullah 5/2F 10
1990 SNURGE Paul Cole Richard Quinn Martyn Arbib 7/2 8
1989* MICHELOZZO Henry Cecil Steve Cauthen Charles St George 6/4F 8
1988 MINSTER SON Neil Graham Willie Carson Lady Beaverbrook 15/2 6
1987 REFERENCE POINT Henry Cecil Steve Cauthen Louis Freedman 4/11F 7
1986 MOON MADNESS John Dunlop Pat Eddery Duchess of Norfolk 9/2 8
1985 OH SO SHARP Henry Cecil Steve Cauthen Sheikh Mohammed 8/11F 6
1984 COMMANCHE RUN Luca Cumani Lester Piggott Ivan Allan 7/4F 11
1983 SUN PRINCESS Dick Hern Willie Carson Sir Michael Sobell 11/8F 10
1982 TOUCHING WOOD Tom Jones Paul Cook Maktoum Al Maktoum 7/1 15
1981 CUT ABOVE Dick Hern Joe Mercer Sir John Astor 28/1 7
1980 LIGHT CAVALRY Henry Cecil Joe Mercer Jim Joel 3/1 7
1979 SON OF LOVE Robert Collet FR Alain Lequeux A Rolland 20/1 17
1978 JULIO MARINER Clive Brittain Edward Hide Marcos Lemos 28/1 14
1977 DUNFERMLINE Dick Hern Willie Carson The Queen 10/1 13
1976 CROW Angel Penna FR Yves Saint-Martin Daniel Wildenstein 6/1CF 15
1975 BRUNI Ryan Price Tony Murray Charles St George 9/1 12
1974 BUSTINO Dick Hern Joe Mercer Lady Beaverbrook 11/10F 10
1973 PELEID Bill Elsey Frankie Durr Bill Behrens 28/1 13
1972 BOUCHER Vincent O'Brien IRE Lester Piggott Ogden Phipps 3/1 7
1971 ATHENS WOOD Tom Jones Lester Piggott Mrs John Rogerson 5/2 8
1970 NIJINSKY Vincent O'Brien IRE Lester Piggott Charles Engelhard 2/7F 9
1969 INTERMEZZO Harry Wragg Ron Hutchinson Gerry Oldham 7/1 11
1968 RIBERO Fulke Johnson Houghton Lester Piggott Charles Engelhard 100/30 8
1967 RIBOCCO Fulke Johnson Houghton Lester Piggott Charles Engelhard 7/2 9
1966 SODIUM George Todd Frankie Durr R J Sigita 7/1 9
1965 PROVOKE Dick Hern Joe Mercer John Astor 28/1 11
1964 INDIANA Jack Watts Jimmy Lindley Charles Engelhard 100/7 15
1963 RAGUSA Paddy Prendergast IRE Garnet Bougoure Jim Mullion 2/5F 7
1962 HETHERSETT Dick Hern Harry Carr Major Lionel Holliday 100/8 15
1961 AURELIUS Noel Murless Lester Piggott Mrs V Lilley 9/2 13
1960 ST PADDY Noel Murless Lester Piggott Sir Victor Sassoon 4/6F 9
1959 CANTELO Charles Elsey Edward Hide William Hill 100/7 11
1958 ALCIDE Cecil Boyd-Rochfort Harry Carr Sir Humphrey de Trafford 4/9F 8
1957 BALLYMOSS Vincent O’Brien IRE T P Burns Jock McShain 8/1 16
1956 CAMBREMER George Bridgland FR Freddie Palmer R B Strassburger 8/1 13
1955 MELD Cecil Boyd-Rochfort Harry Carr Lady Zia Wernher 10/11F 8
1954 NEVER SAY DIE Joe Lawson Charlie Smirke Robert Sterling Clark 100/30 16
1953 PREMONITION Cecil Boyd-Rochfort Eph Smith W P Wyatt 10/1 11
1952 TULYAR Marcus Marsh Charlie Smirke H H Aga Khan III 10/11F 12
1951 TALMA II Charles Semblat FR Rae Johnstone Marcel Boussac 7/1 18
1950 SCRATCH II Charles Semblat FR Rae Johnstone Marcel Boussac 9/2 15
1949 RIDGE WOOD Noel Murless Michael Beary G R H Smith 100/7 16
1948 BLACK TARQUIN Cecil Boyd-Rochfort Edgar Britt W Woodward 15/2 14
1947 SAYAJIRAO Fred Armstrong Edgar Britt Maharaja Of Baroda 9/2 11
1946 AIRBOURNE Dick Perryman Tommy Lowrey Jock Ferguson 3/1 11
* Run at Ayr
** Run at York