St Leger is Thought Worthy for John Gosden

St Leger Thought Worthy for John Gosden

The St Leger this year has become a Thought Worthy matter for John Gosden on who should take on the unbeaten Triple Crown bound Camelot

For the last couple of months the St Leger betting has been dominated by a string of John Gosden challengers to Camelot with four of the top seven in the betting being trained by him. 

Today, John Gosden has revealed to the Racing Post that his challenge is likely to take the form of Thought Worthy and Michelangelo with Dartford making the pace.  Crockford believes that this news was probably greeted with some relief by Ballydoyle as the greater threat was likely to have come from the progressively dangerous Gosden filly Great Heavens who now looks Prix Vermeille bound instead. The other Gosden fancy Shantaram was denied his warm up run at York in the Great Voltigeur by illness and would appear not to be ready for the Doncaster Classic. 

This news makes the Triple Crown even more certain for Camelot (quoted at 1/3) with the value in the race appearing now to be each way with the unlucky Main Sequence who in many eyes should have beaten Thought Worthy in the Great Voltigeur. Runner up in the Derby (Thought Worthy only fourth) Main Sequence should come second again to Camelot at the attractive odds of 14/1 with Bet365. Crockford's only doubt would be if his stamina doesn't hold and if the ground is too soft on the day. John Gosden's entry for Thought Worthy in the two mile race on Champions day is a strong indication of his faith in his horse's stamina and is worth noting. Crockford does not rate the chances of his other probable runner Michelangelo who was soundly beaten in the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood

The only other threat to the places may come from Guarantee the Melrose winner (who is not guaranteed of a run) and from Imperial Monarch but it is highly unlikely that O'Brien would let him take his chance. Punters need only think back to the Curragh and his removal from the Irish Derby to see that.

The St Leger looks the most straightforward for years given the muddling form all the others in the field - Camelot will get his Triple Crown

(Photograph - John Gosden at Glorious Goodwood 2012 by Stuart Rice)