Ladbrokes St Leger |
|
| Group 1, Doncaster 15:45 £700,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 6f 132y, Class 1  |
|
| Saturday 10th September 2016 | |
1 Harbour Law 22/1
2 Ventura Storm 14/1
3 Housesofparliament 7/1
9 ran Distances: ¾l, shd, 10l
TIME 3m 5.48s (slow by 2.48s)
Harbour Lays Down Law for Mongans in Leger
 |
Ridden by George Baker, the three-year-old son of Lawman stayed on gamely in the closing stages to beat Richard Hannon's Ventura Storm by three-quarters of a length with Housesofparliament, trained by Aidan O'Brien, a short-head back in third.
An eventful race saw the warm (4/6) favourite Idaho unseat rider Seamie Heffernan in the home straight, having stumbled when seeming to be travelling powerfully behind the leader.
Harbour Law travelled well throughout the extended one mile and six furlong contest and entering the final furlong came to challenge for the lead. The colt responded to Baker's urgings to register victory in the shadows of the post in a pulsating finish to the Classic, drawing cheers from the crowd at Town Moor.
Mongan became the first female trainer to ever win Britain's oldest Classic and along with Baker, was winning her first Classic contest. The victory was also the first time since 1969 that a horse trained in Epsom has won a British Classic [Right Tack, trained by John Sutcliffe junior, 2000 Guineas]
An emotional Mongan said: "It was brilliant. He is a classy horse. I'm still shocked but that was good! He was good enough and I am just so glad we brought him here. He proved to everyone that he could do it. George knows the horse and did the right thing on him, so credit to him.
"It was a really professional performance from the horse. We knew he was classy and we knew he was going to go somewhere in life and today he has. It's amazing. He looked really well in the paddock."]
The trainer was also delighted to help put Epsom back on the map, which once such a fine training establishment, has experienced a spell in the doldrums in recent years.
She commented:."It's a bit surreal at the moment but it was absolutely brilliant. We have a great team at home and it proves that we can do it with the right ammunition and it proves that Epsom can do it. We do very well as a team with what we have got at home. It's just great to have a horse like this and bring him here."
Mongan also heaped praise on Baker who gave the colt a masterful ride. She remarked: "George knew exactly what to do at the right time and we knew coming into today that we could leave it to George as we had done everything we could at home.
"We've done it. He's a great horse and I just hope we are lucky enough to hold onto him. All he has done all season is mature and grow up and he is just very exciting. It's a great day."
Mongan suggested the horse will continue to improve into his four-year-old campaign adding: "I feel now that he will be an even better horse next year. He's exciting."
Ian Mongan, Group One winning jockey and Laura's husband, said: "We've had a lot of faith in this horse but did we think he would win the St Leger? Maybe. He has come up against the best of the best. From a little yard in Epsom, we are taking on the mighty power of Coolmore and all the other trainers.
"Henry Cecil sat me down three or four years ago and told me that good horses make good trainers and jockeys and that is exactly what happened today. He is a good horse. We were lucky that he came into our yard and all you have to do is feed them well and train them well and they've got engines and take you to special places. This horse has taken us to the St Leger - a Classic race. No woman trainer has ever won this race and Laura has done it today.
"Laura's a fantastic trainer, a fantastic wife and a fantastic mother. We left our seven-year-old daughter Daisy at home today to come here and its her birthday and now we've justified it.
"To train a St Leger winner, I can't quite believe it. I rode in the Derby and the 2000 Guineas but never in the St Leger. This means so much to me and to Laura and the family and the yard. Epsom has struggled since the rise of Newmarket and Lambourn. Hopefully, this will put it back on the map.
"I can't get my head around the fact that this horse has won the St Leger. We came into today hoping he would run well and we thought we could only dream that he'd win but he has. He's such a lovely horse.
"Of all the horses we have who are rated 50, 60, 70, 80, he is the easiest horse to train. This good horse has come to our yard and he has put us on the map. He's very professional and he's a class act."
Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes
£700,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 6f 132y, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (9) | Harbour Law 22/1 | G Baker 9-1 |
Mrs L J Mongan | 3 | |
| 2nd | (5) | ¾ | Ventura Storm (IRE) 14/1 | S De Sousa 9-1 |
R Hannon | 3 |
| 3rd | (7) | s.h | Housesof-parliament (IRE) 7/1 | C O'Donoghue 9-1 |
A P O'Brien | 3 |
| 4th | (6) | 10 | Muntahaa (IRE) 4/1 | P Hanagan 9-1 |
J H M Gosden | 3 |
| 5th | (1) | 8 | Sword Fighter (IRE) 9/1 | D O'Brien 9-1 |
A P O'Brien | 3 |
| 6th | (4) | 2 | Harrison 40/1 | G Lee 9-1 |
M R Channon | 3 |
| 7th | (3) | nk | Ormito (GER) 20/1 | Oisin Murphy 9-1 |
A M Balding | 3 |
| 8th | (8) | 5 | The Tartan Spartan (IRE) 66/1 | P Makin 9-1 |
J P Shanahan | 3 |
| UR | (2) | Idaho (IRE) 4/6f | J A Heffernan 9-1 |
A P O'Brien | 3 |
LEGER SECOND FOR STORM
Ventura Storm took the lead before the furlong-pole and looked all over the winner under champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa until Harbour Law came with a strong run to take over the advantage in the closing stages and win going away by three quarters of a length.
The 14/1 chance just saw off Housesofparliament by a short-head for second.
Ventura Storm, owned by a 12-strong syndicate of the Middleham Park Racing, is trained by Richard Hannon who said: "He has run a great race and he looked like he was going to win for most of the straight but got chinned.
"I am a little disappointed not to win but I could not be more pleased with the horse - he has run a super race and the owners are delighted."
Kevin Buckley, Coolmore's representative in Britain, talked about 4/6 favourite Idaho unseating Seamie Heffernan three furlongs from home and Housesofparliament's third place.
He said: "I just hope Seamie is all right - I have not heard the latest but I believe he is up on his feet. The horse might have taken a false step which is so disappointing. The main thing is that Seamie is OK - he is meant to be flying over to Leopardstown.
"Housesofparliament ran well - I am not making excuses but the horses are taking the top off the ground and on his last two races at Newmarket and York he has shown that he does appreciate proper good to firm ground. That might have blunted him a little bit but fair play to Laura Mongan and her team - a great result and for George Baker too."
LADBROKES ST LEGER ROLL OF HONOUR (1946-2014)
Year Horse Trainer Jockey Owner SP Ran
2015 SIMPLE VERSE Ralph Beckett Andrea Atzeni QRL/Sheikh Suhaim Al Thani/M Al Kubaisi 8/1 7
2014 KINGSTON HILL Roger Varian Andrea Atzeni Paul Smith 9/4F 12
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
