Eagle Top can soar to St Leger victory if given Classic chance
Published:Leading Ladbrokes St Leger chance Eagle Top is just 8/1 with the race sponsor to land this year’s renewal of the world’s oldest Classic.
The John Gosden-trained three-year-old superbly advertised his claims for success at Doncaster with a three-and-a-quarter length victory in Royal Ascot’s King Edwards VII Stakes.
And despite his handler’s reservations about a tilt at the Town Moor showpiece, the latest odds from Ladbrokes suggest that taking the St Leger crown is a distinct possibility – if Gosden has a change of heart.
Eagle Top quickened impressively to see off the challenge of Aidan O’Brien’s jolly Adelaide en route to victory in Berkshire.
After initially being held up by jockey William Buick the son of talented sprinter Pivotal found another gear to win the 1mf2f contest comfortably.
It was a performance that laid down a marker to the rest of his St Leger rivals with even his rider surprised at just how much his mount found in the closing stages.
“I didn’t realise he was this good”, said Buick. “He swatted them off in a matter of strides. It was only his third run and everything is open to him.
“He baffled me a bit today. I just didn’t realise he had that kind of speed.
“He came here, he didn’t turn a hair and was very relaxed. He’s got all the attributes of a top, top racehorse.”
And while Gosden has expressed his preference to keep campaigning Eagle Top over a mile and a half, the trainer’s comments haven’t dampened punters’ enthusiasm for a possible Doncaster assault.
Another Gosden charge, Romsdal, is the current 5/1 favourite with Ladbrokes to win a fifth St Leger for the Newmarket-based saddler following his strong third-placed finish in the Epsom Derby.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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