Covert Love could take chance in St Leger
The daughter of Azamour took her record to four wins from just five starts when handling the step up to Group One company with aplomb at the Curragh.
She was supplemented for the Classic and would also need to be added for the York race, but trainer Hugo Palmer issued a warning that a dry spell leading up to the Ebor meeting would make connections think twice.
The Newmarket handler said: “It’s all systems go for York at the moment but she does need supplementing and I don’t want to run her on August baking ground.
“If Yorkshire gets a hot spell for two and a half weeks we might have to think about stumping up 35 grand, but we are working with that in mind.
“The Prix Vermeille might come into it but we know who is going there, of course (Treve).
“If she wasn’t to go to York we’d have to think of the St Leger.
“Pat Smullen said when he crossed the line he felt she’d win the St Leger, but now he’s watched it back he agrees with me the obvious races for her are over a mile and a half.
“I’m sure she’d stay the Leger trip. I doubt very much she’d go to York and Doncaster as the most obvious race for her is the Fillies’ And Mares’ race at Ascot’s Champions meeting — if you could tailor-make a race for her it would be that.”
One potential St Leger obstacle for Covert Love was removed yesterday when Kilimanjaro, as low as 16-1 for the Doncaster showpiece, wasofficially scratched from the race by trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Sixth in the Investec Derby, he bettered that by finishing fourth behind Jack Hobbs in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.
He had earlier won the Lingfield Derby Trial and was fancied to go well on Town Moor. However, he was taken out of the Classic by O’Brien yesterday.
