TAKE Millenary to give John Dunlop his third success in the Rothmans Royals St Leger at Doncaster tomorrow.
The Arundel trainer has won the world's oldest Classic with Moon Madness in 1986 and Silver Patriarch 11 years later and the improving Millenary has the right credentials to lift the 224th renewal of this famous race.
Successful at Newbury and Chester in the spring, the son of Rainbow Quest finished well beaten in atrocious conditions behind Holding Court in the French Derby on his third start of the season.
Rested for two months following that run at Chantilly, Millenary returned to action in the Group Three Peugeot Gordon Stakes over 12 furlongs at Goodwood at the beginning of last month, and put up a remarkable performance.
He was hopelessly detached for much of the race but began to make headway from a quarter of a mile out and, with Richard Quinn seen at his best, he produced a powerful finish to lead right on the line.
Millenary beat Air Marshall a short head that day and was conceding 3lb to Sir Michael Stoute's colt.
Air Marshall was promoted to favourite for the St Leger following his next start when he won the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York from two other big-race candidates Marienbard and Dalampour.
All three, plus the lightly-raced Savoire Vivre, will prove worthy opponents for Millenary on Town Moor but the extra two furlongs of the Leger trip look ready made for Dunlop's charge.
Quinn takes the ride again and Millenary is made the nap selection to land the £222,000 first prize, with most to fear from Michael Jarvis' progressive stayer Marienbard.
Later on the card Romantic Myth can regain the winning thread in the Polypipe Flying Childers Stakes over the minimum trip.
Tim Easterby's filly won her first three starts, including the Queen Mary Stakes, in good style and looked destined for championship honours.
However, her season has gone off track since Royal Ascot and she has been beaten at Newbury and York.
She hurt her hind legs in the stalls at Newbury and the run is best forgotten but she returned to somewhere near her best on her first attempt at six furlongs on the Knavesmire.
The daughter of top sprinter Mind Games finished a two-and-a-half-length fourth behind Sagitta 1000 Guineas favourite Enthused after finding herself short of room in the closing stages.
Romantic Myth will appreciate the drop back to five furlongs tomorrow andlooks a good bet to take the Group Two contest.
Ekraar has won his last two starts in good style and appears on the upgrade.
Judged on his latest victory in a Group Three race at Haydock on his most recent outing, when he comfortably defeated Forbearing by one and three-quarter lengths, Marcus Tregoning's three-year-old looks well up to winning theflutter.com Select Stakes at Goodwood.
Surprised can follow-up his recent course and distance victory in the six-furlong Phillips Auctioneers Challenge Cup off a 6lb higher mark.
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