Aidan O’Brien’s Kew Gardens storms clear to land the St Leger at Doncaster
The high-class colt outstayed Lah Ti Dar to win at odds of 3-1 on Town Moor
AIDAN O'BRIEN was right on Kew as he landed the William Hill St Leger before dashing off to Leopardstown for the Irish Champion Stakes.
O'Brien barely had time to welcome his winner in before he showed an impressive turn of foot - along with jockey Ryan Moore - to bolt across the track to his transport.
It was a sixth win in the Classic for O'Brien who continued his good form and Moore always had the proven Group 1 winner in a good position throughout the race.
Punters had been keen to pile in on John Gosden's unexposed filly Lah Ti Dar, but she settled too far back in a race which lacked early pace.
That suited Moore, and when push came to shove Kew Gardens kicked on impressively up the long Doncaster straight.
O'Brien had been adamant that the track would suit his Group 1 winner and the Ballydoyle handler was spot on once again.
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O'Brien said: "We couldn't be happier with him, he's a horse that has progressed lovely and we saw what he could do at Ascot and we were over the moon with him there.
"We always thought he was a horse that would stay well and would suit this course. We were delighted with him in France and he has a lot of class."
Moore was full of praise for his Classic partner.
He said: "He travelled very good there, he's a very uncomplicated and straightforward horse who has a fantastic attitude and he's won it nicely there.
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"He gave me a really good feel and he kept going well."
The story before the race had been all around Lah Ti Dar.
The filly had shot to the head of the betting following her York demolition job but connections had initially indicated they would swerve Town Moor and head to France.
However, after a late u-turn this week, Lah Ti Dar lined up and went off the 7-4 favourite.
Gosden's filly was by no means disgraced having tried to make ground from a fair way back, but she ultimately failed to reel in the winner.
Gosden said: "We've been beaten by a Group 1 winner at the end of the day, she's run an absolute blinder and we're thrilled with her.
"We will freshen her up and go to the Fillies' and Mares race at Ascot on Champions Day.
"The early pace was a lot slower than I thought it would be. The best horse won in the end but I like the way she was closing him down late on and she was continuing to get to him.
"I thought three furlongs out she wasn't going to even get a place, but once she got herself balanced and straightened up she came home very well."
O'Brien, who has so often supported the race in good numbers, was rewarded for sending five horses over with Southern France sticking on for third.
Last year's St Leger was one of the strongest renewals in recent years, and there's every chance the front three - and those in behind - can give the form a strong look in the next 12 months.