Rely on tradition in the world's oldest Classic today. History suggests Millenary is very much the best bet in the St Leger at Doncaster. He is exactly the type which has dominated the previous 223 runnings of this race - that is to say he is a progressive colt, proven in high-class company, who will improve for this step up to a mile and three-quarters.

And he has been given the textbook build-up by John Dunlop, who knows the path to the Leger backwards after 34 years as a trainer and has won the season's last Classic with Moon Madness and Silver Patriarch in the past.

Millenary first showed himself something out of the ordinary when winning the Chester Vase - a race taken by Leger winner Toulon and seconds Armiger and Broadway Flyer in the 1990s.

He then emulated recent Doncaster scorers Commanche Run, Minster Son and Nedawi by landing the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood.

That remarkable last-to-first win was made to look all the better when runner-up Air Marshall and fourth-placed Give The Slip - who both received weight - took the Great Voltigeur Stakes and Ebor respectively at York.

Millenary will have the assistance of the shrewd Richard Quinn in the saddle for an invariably tactical race which usually falls to one of the wiser heads in the weighing-room - Lester Piggott won it eight times.

Best outsider may be Kuwait Trooper who will be very well suited by this return to a longer trip.

Speed is of the essence in the card's main supporting event, the Polypipe Flying Childers Stakes over five furlongs.

Which will be ideal for Romantic Myth, who appeared to be outstayed when only fourth in the furlong-longer Lowther Stakes at York. She had previously shown blistering pace to win three times at this trip, including in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, and will be hard to beat.

Down To The Woods will also benefit from returning to a shorter distance in the six-furlong Great North Eastern Railway Conditions Stakes.

Stable-companion Kind Regards can make a successful step up to Pattern race company in the flutter.com Select Stakes at Goodwood.

Surprised will be hard to beat in the Philips Auctioneers Challenge Cup, judged on his emphatic victory over course and distance a fortnight ago.