Julie Krone: will bid to defend her title in Wednesday’s Leger Legends race
PICTURE: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos), BY JAMES PUGH5:38PM 11 SEP 2012
JULIE KRONE has flown in from America to defend her crown in this year’s Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Classified Stakes, one of the highlights on day one of Doncaster’s four-day St Leger meeting.
Krone, so far the only female jockey to land America’s coveted Triple Crown, rode 3,704 winners during her distinguished career and she won the second running of the Leger Legends race last year when Invincible Hero forged clear to score by three and a half lengths.
In opposition to Krone and her mount Sunnyside Tom this year will be multiple Irish champion jockey Mick Kinane as well as St Leger winners Kevin Darley, George Duffield and John Reid.
The race will aim to raise money for two charities – the Injured Jockeys Fund’s ‘House That Jack Built’ initiative – which seeks to build a rehabilitation centre in the Malton area – and the redevelopment of the Northern Racing College.
Gay Kelleway will partner her own horse Hawaana in the 16-runner contest and the jockey-turned-trainer-turned-jockey said: “I was thinking about hanging my boots up after last year but with no other female jockeys from England I’ll have to keep going. It’s all for a good cause and I’ve probably got my best ride to date.”
Jamie Osborne: back in the saddle
PICTURE: Martin Lynch
Also in contention is the Racing Post’s very own Tom O’Ryan, who rides Muftarres. He said: “I’m very hopeful actually. I don’t know the horse but I’ve seen him run enough times. He’s a hold-up horse and if they go a good gallop it will suit him.”
One rider not exuding confidence is multiple Cheltenham Festival winner Jamie Osborne, who will return to the saddle to ride three-year-old Gunner Will.
“There’s been no great plot,” said Osborne. “Yes, it’s been his plan since his handicap mark dropped to 70 but he’s by no means going to suddenly run way above his mark and I’d be a bit dubious about the jockey!”
Day one of the St Leger festival is due start on ground described as good to firm, good in places and clerk of the course Jon Pullin said: “We are forecast around 5mm of rain on Wednesday but from Thursday onwards it is all set to be dry with temperatures between 18-20C.”
Pullin, who supervised last weekend’s watering programme, added: “If we get 5mm, the going will be somewhere near good. We wouldn’t water later in the week unless the ground dried out very rapidly. We’d hope we wouldn’t have to water again.”
3:40 p.m. eng. time, Doncaster WED 12 SEP 2012
Good To Firm 1m Number of runners: 19
| NO. DRAW FORM |
HORSE | AGE | WGT OR |
JOCKEY TRAINER RTF% |
TS | RPR | BEST ODDS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15400486 |  |
ALHABAN
 14 |
6 |
11-0
70
|
52 | 64 | ||
| 211678241 |  |
CHOOKIE AVON p
29
|
5 |
11-0
70
|
50 | 62 | ||
| 37747226 |  |
ELIJAH PEPPER
37
|
7 |
11-0
70
|
54 | 64 | ||
| 4102500-0 |  |
FILE AND PAINT
156 |
4 |
11-0
70
|
51 | 60 | ||
| 53621057 |  |
HAIL PROMENADER p
26 |
6 |
11-0
70
|
64 | 64 | ||
| 6141/0954 |  |
HANDHELD
7
|
5 |
11-0
69
|
27 | 55 | ||
| 79862444 |  |
HAWAANA v1
 26 |
7 |
11-0
70
|
56 | 61 | ||
| 81560114 |  |
MUFTARRES b
 17 |
7 |
11-0
70
|
54 | 59 | ||
| 915926266 |  |
PATRIOTIC
14 |
4 |
11-0
69
|
58 | 61 | ||
| 101332/609 |  |
PIRATE CHEST h1
4
|
4 |
11-0
70
|
35 | 60 | ||
| 118423385 |  |
SAVE THE BEES b1
15 |
4 |
11-0
70
|
57 | 64 | ||
| 122225-00 |  |
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE p
12
|
4 |
11-0
70
|
66 | 62 | ||
| 136256032 |  |
SUNNYSIDE TOM
17 |
8 |
11-0
70
|
50 | 63 | ||
| 1419172226 |  |
THE DUCKING STOOL
17
|
5 |
11-0
69
|
49 | 61 | ||
| 1512245324 |  |
GUNNER WILL
37 |
3 |
10-9
70
|
49 | 63 | ||
| 1618685409 |  |
MASTERS BLAZING
26 |
3 |
10-9
70
|
59 | 61 | ||
| 174211357 |  |
EASTWARD HO
29 |
4 |
11-0
69
|
Jason Ward100
|
54 | 63 | |
| 1817850735 |  |
TED´S BROTHER t
25 |
4 |
11-0
68
|
51 | 63 | ||
| 1916740369 |  |
FOLLOW THE FLAG v
25 |
8 |
11-0
66
|
50 | 60 | ||
