Kingston Hill, ante-post favourite for the Ladbrokes St Leger, has been taken out of Sunday’s Prix Niel at Longchamp, which guarantees connections have their sights set on the St Leger 24 hours earlier.
Trainer Roger Varian has ruled out the possibility of switching to the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe trial late in the week, despite the risk of a dry week at Doncaster. With no alternative, he looks certain to line-up at the St Leger to justify his favouritism.
Varian said: “The Leger has been the priority and while both places look set fair for the week, Doncaster had that good drop of rain on Saturday and we have to go there. By this stage of the week we had to make a decision and there was no need to stay in the Niel.”
The winner of last year’s Racing Post Trophy missed the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last month due to fast ground, as well as making an aborted trip to the Curragh for the Irish Derby earlier this year for the same reason, so Varian must be happy with the current ground to pull out of the Niel.
Kingston Hill will return to Doncaster for the St Leger PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
The three year-old will face a maximum field of 14 rivals on Saturday, after standing his ground alongside all the other leading contenders at the five-day entry stage earlier this week.
Kingston Hill is currently 11-4 with 
Bet365 followed by Snow Sky (5-1), Romsdal (6-1), and Windshear (8-1).
Romsdal spearheads Kingston Hill’s opposition, after finishing one place behind the three year-old at Epsom, as does Great Voltigeur Stakes second-place Snow Sky.
Aidan O’Brien is set to run Granddukeoftuscany (16-1) though his focus will likely be on the Irish equivalent the next day, in which Australia will be leading the assault.
Mark Johnston plans to run all three of his Leger acceptors - Alex My Boy (14-1), Hartnell (12-1), and Somewhat (33-1) – if the ground is good. Joe Fanning will be given the choice of which one he wants to ride.
The sponsors will be pleased with Kingston Hill’s Niel defection, as spokesman David Williams said earlier in the week that “the entire shape of the race seems to hinge on the participation of Kingston Hill.”
The opening day of the St Leger Festival features the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Stakes for which Cheltenham Gold Cup winning trainer Jim Culloty will be one of 16 retired jockeys returning to the saddle in aid of charity.
Former leading sprinter Reckless Abandon will have his second start of the season in the Listed Scarbrough Stakes on opening day as well.
Established in 1776, the St Leger is the oldest of Britain’s five Classics. Open your real money account at Bet365 to place a bet on the historic race.
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