Gordi may challenge for Curragh Leger

PERTEMPS St Leger gamble Gordi could bid to atone for his Doncaster flop in the Curragh equivalent on Saturday

PERTEMPS St Leger gamble Gordi could bid to atone for his Doncaster flop in the Curragh equivalent on Saturday. He was left in the £150,000 mile-and-three-quarter contest yesterday by Derrnot Weld, along with stable companion Vintage Crop.

"No decision will be made on whether Gordi or Vintage Crop run will be made until Thursday," the trainer said.

Gordi was backed from 10 to 1 into half those odds in the days leading up to last Saturday's St Leger in which he beat only one home on ground considered unsuitable after heavy watering.

Vintage Crop, unraced to date this year, won the Irish St Leger in 1993 and 1994 but could finish only fourth behind Strategic Choice in his bid for a hat-trick last year.

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Strategic Choice's trainer Paul Cole has Princess of Wales's Stakes winner Posidonas in the race this year and the colt is an intended runner provided the going, currently described as good to firm, is not too hard.

A total of six horses from England figure among yesterday's acceptors for a contest won by them only three times since 1984.

Michael Stoute has left in Blushing Flame and Sacrament, Barry Hills Moonax and Sanmartino, and Peter Chapple-Hyam Court Of Honour.

Sacrament seems a more likely runner for Michael Stoute than Blushing Flame. "Sacrament might be the one," said stable representative Greville Starkey at Yarmouth.

Fantastic Fellow and Sahm were yesterday added to a strong English team for the Aga Khan Studs National Stakes. The pair were each supplemented for the Group One seven-furlong contest at a cost of £20,000.

They join four English juveniles left in at yesterday's forfeit stage for an event won by a runner from England for the first time in five years when Danehill Dancer scored for Neville Callaghan last season.

Sahm, trained by John Dunlop, was disqualified from second place in the Champagne Stakes at Goodwood last time out.

Clive Brittain has booked Michael Roberts, who returns from injury today, for recent York debut scorer Fantastic Fellow.

The 14-strong home contingent, boosted by yesterday's supplementing of Moyglare Stud Stakes third Azra, features Coventry Stakes winner Verglas and Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes scorer Mantovani.

Other English acceptors include Haydock winner Apprehension, whose trainer David Loder is bidding to follow up his success in the Moyglare Stud Stakes with Bianca Nera, Daylight In Dubai (Peter Chapple-Hyam) and Referendum (Geoff Lewis).

But Get The Point will miss the race, trainer Reg Hollinshead saying: "He doesn't run in Ireland. He will go instead for the Houghton Sales race at Newmarket."

Curragh racegoers on Saturday will be able to watch the action on the Mitsubishi Diamond Vision screen. "We are delighted to provide this superb facility for racegoers," said the track manager, Brian Kavanagh. "It is appropriate that this raceday, with prize-money of £440,000, should enjoy Derby-style facilities."

At next week's Listowel Festival, on-course bookmakers are to sponsor a racecard draw on each of the six days, with the main prize a Volkswagen Polo.