Icon support Wanes
Sixties Icon is now odds-against for Ladbrokes St Leger glory on Saturday after strong support for his market rivals.
Jeremy Noseda’s charge had been all the rage for the Classic since winning the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood on his last start.
However, the punters seem to be losing faith in the son of Galileo and are now looking elsewhere for their idea of the York winner.
“We went even money at the five-day stage,” explained George Primarolo of Bet365. We saw no interest at that price though and pushed him out to 11-10 and now we are 5-4. I think it’s down to Jeremy Noseda’s loss of form but he has just been friendless in the market all week.
“When we went evens we expected a flurry of bets but they never materialised. The largest bet we have seen this week was for Red Rocks each-way at 6-1. It had been a lively ante-post market in the lead-up to the race but all of a sudden it has gone very quiet.
“I think he could possibly go as big as 6-4 before the punters start backing him again.”
David Stevens of Coral expressed similar sentiments after his firm cut Red Rocks to 4-1 from 11-2.
“With the Noseda yard currently enduring a quiet spell, punters are looking elsewhere for the Leger winner, and clearly regard Red Rocks as the most viable alternative to the favourite,” said Stevens.
The sponsors, on the other hand, have reported money for one of the outsiders, Mick Channon’s Championship Point.
“Mick Channon thought our 33-1 was too big about Championship Point and the punters have taken heed. He ran poorly in the Great Voltigeur but the one-time Derby fancy has been all the rage today,” said David Williams.
Another outsider is the Barry Hills-trained The Last Drop who finished fourth at 100-1 in the Voltigeur. He is a big price once more for the St Leger but connections are confident of another big run.
They believe the extra two furlongs should suit the son of Galileo, and Hills sprang a 40-1 surprise in the Leger with Moonax 12 years ago.
“He’s in great order. He’s obviously a big price but he ran a great race at York last time,” said Hills’ son and assistant, Charlie. “The horse is thriving. He should stay very well and he’s not dissimilar to what Moonax was like.”
The Last Drop, who carries the colours of Jack Hanson, will have a new jockey on Saturday. Michael Hills, who has ridden the colt in each of his six races so far, has been booked to ride Mont Etoile for William Haggas.
However, the ride is still being kept in the family as Michael’s twin brother Richard – who won the Leger on Mutafaweq for Godolphin in 1999 – will be in the saddle.
Michael Jarvis will saddle Galient in the race, another who is likely to start at a big price, but he believes there are valid excuses for his disappointing performance at Newbury last time.
“I think he was a bit rusty at Newbury, we gave him quite a break after Ascot - by design, there was nothing wrong with the horse,” Jarvis told At The Races.
“We always had the Leger in mind and I may have just undercooked him a bit. He ran a bit fresh and made up a lot of ground very quickly. They took him on early in the straight and I think he ran out of gas.
“He’s by Galileo who is going to be a top sire, and out of a mare who won the Queen’s Vase so he was always going to get the Leger trip which not many of them do.
“Whether he’s good enough – who knows? I’d be delighted if he ran into a place and anything better than a place would be fantastic.”
Ladbrokes St Leger
Ladbrokes: 10-11 Sixties Icon, 5-1 Red Rocks, 8-1 Jadalee, Tusculum, 12-1 Mountain, 14 Fire And Rain, 16 Ask, Puerto Rico, 25-1 Championship Point, Galient, Mont Etoile, 50 The Last Drop.
Coral: 11-10 Sixties Icon, 4-1 Red Rocks, 7-1 Jadalee, Tusculum, 11-1 Fire And Rain, 14-1 Ask, Mountain, 20-1 Puerto Rico, Galient, Mont Etoile, 25-1 Championship Point, 40-1 The Last Drop.
totesport: Evs Sixties Icon, 9-2 Red Rocks, 6-1 Tusculum, 8-1 Jadalee, 12-1 Mountain, 14-1 Fire And Rain, 16-1 Ask, Puerto Rico, 20-1 Galient, 25-1 Championship Point, Mont Etoile, 50-1 The Last Drop.
Bet365: 5-4 Sixties Icon, 5-1 Red Rocks, 7-1 Tusculum, 9-1 Jadalee, 14-1 Mountain, Fire And Rain, 16-1 Ask, 20-1 Galient, 25-1 Championship Point, Mont Etoile, Puerto Rico, 50-1 The Last Drop.




