Dont miss 32Red ambassador Jamie Spencer’s latest column as he talks through his Saturday rides
Jamie Spencer is set to head to Woodbine tonight instead of riding at Doncaster and he reckons his mount has a good chance in Canada
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IT’S the world’s oldest Classic today but I’m travelling a fair bit further than Doncaster.
While they’re all fighting it out for the winner’s cap in the St Leger I’ll be in Canada for the Woodbine Mile.
I’ve got an agreement with owner Jim Hay so I’ve flown over to ride Deauville, trained by Aidan O’Brien. I really fancy his chances.
It’s a bit of a trek but Woodbine has been lucky for me over the years – I think I’ve ridden four Grade 1 winners there.
Wigmore Hall gave me a couple and I won the EP Taylor on Just The Judge for Qatar Racing. I won today’s prize on Tradestorm for David Simcock three years ago.
I can’t believe it’s 17 years since I first went there when I was beaten a nose in this race on Arkadian Hero for Luca Cumani.
I’ve been going there long enough so I should know the track by now.
It’s a beautiful course. Normally when you ride in American the turf course is on the inside of the dirt – at Woodbine the turf course is on the outside.
There’s only one bend over a mile so it’s a galloping course that takes a bit of getting with a long straight.
Deauville generally races handily. I won a Belmont Grade 1 on him over 1m2f last year. I sat second in the early stages so I’ll be as handy as possible today and take it from there.
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The drop to a mile is not a problem. He was third behind Ribchester in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot – on that form he would have a great chance.
Before that he had beaten Poet’s Word – who was only just beaten in the Irish Champion Stakes last weekend – at Chester and he was a length runner-up to Ulysses at Sandown. On all known form he goes there with a big chance.
I’ll be keeping close eye on the Leger from Canada. I would think Raheen House would have a good chance – he’ll love the ground.
Hopefully he’ll go well for Brian Meehan and the team – he’s been trained for the race.
I won the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket back in July. He’d been fourth in the King Edward earlier and I always find that to go from Royal Ascot to the July Meeting are never really at their peak. Ascot takes plenty out of horses.
I’m sure with the break he’s had since we’ll see an even better horse today. He goes there with an each-way chance.
It’s an open Leger and I don’t think there’s a lot between them all on the ratings.
I thought Irish Derby winner Capri and Defoe had great chances with the way the ground is. They enjoy a bit of cut.
The trip is a little bit of an unknown for Crystal Ocean. He’s a gorgeous horse and he could be next year’s Ulysses.
Goodwood Cup winner Stradivarius lacks a bit of tactical speed. Coming back from two miles to 1m6f for the Leger he needs to step up on what he’s shown so far.
Doncaster is a galloping track and they don’t really slow down much for a breather – if the pace is on it’s a testing race. On the softer ground they’ll know they’ve been in a race.
The race could be set up to suit Raheen House. He needs to improve five or seven pounds on what he’s shown but he’s had two months since his last race to go and do so.
It’s 14 years since I won the Leger on Brian Boru – I don’t think I’ve ridden in it much since. It’s the oldest Classic and I’m glad I won one of them.
It might have been a long time ago but, it’s like everything, you remember the good times like it was yesterday.
I dead-heated in the Champagne Stakes a few years ago and it will be interesting watching Mythical Magic today.
I won a Listed race at Deauville on him last month - he’s a gorgeous big horse. He’s so big he’ll just keep improving.
It was soft at Deauville and he stayed really well. The runner-up was a smart horse of Andre Fabre called Cascadian that he beat and picked up well to get the job done.
Mythical Magic is the sort of horse I can see being a Classic contender for Goldolphin next season.