Masked Marvel to provide Gosden with another St Leger winner
Published:Blue Bunting may be the only Group One winner in the St Leger and Sea Moon is the heavily-backed favourite, but it is Masked Marvel who can maintain John Gosden’s fine record in the Classic and secure victory.
All of the last three runners Gosden has saddled in the Ladbrokes St Leger have triumphed since 1996, with Lucarno and Arctic Cosmos claiming victories in two of the last four years.
Masked Marvel is similar to this duo in that he is producing his best towards the end of the season and arrives in top form having won the Bahrain Trophy on his latest start at Newbury in July.
However, it is the confidence of the yard that may be the biggest giveaway to how highly they rate Masked Marvel, as they have left him as their leading chance and avoided entering King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Nathaniel.
Masked Marvel is also equally adept in different styles of races, as he can deliver a late finishing burst from out the back in a fast-run race or gradually wind up the pace from nearer the front if the opening furlongs are slow.
Looking at the St Leger odds, Masked Marvel certainly looks the value bet at 7/1 and should at worst have little trouble finishing in the each-way places.
Census only lost by a neck to Masked Marvel in the Bahrain Trophy and is another with solid each-way St Leger claims at 5/1.
He has since gone on to triumph in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury and can be expected to improve further for the step up in distance to 1m6f.
But there is the belief that Masked Marvel still had a bit in hand if needed in the Bahrain Trophy and therefore it is hard to make a case as to why Census will be able to reverse places.
