St Leger third Pyledriver will drop back down in trip for his next outing with his trainer William Muir dreaming of Group One glory in the British Champions Stake at Ascot.
The three year old has been a real success story for the fairly small yard having made his seasonal debut in June when finishing second at Kempton, but since then improving with every run and showing he is a real black type contender.
He headed to Royal Ascot for his second start of the season and he was a shock winner of the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes.
He was given a Derby entry and went to Epsom but having being bumped in the big field early on he ran no race and as a far as Muir was concerned they drew a line through that run.
He proved how special he can be last time out when taking the Group Two Great Voltigeur Stakes at York's Ebor meeting, being eased down in the final stages.
The St Leger on Saturday was next on the agenda and with many pundits fearing he would not stay, they were proved wrong as the three year old finished a length third behind winner Galileo Chrome.
Galileo Chrome wins the 2020 Pertemps St Leger at @DoncasterRaces for @TomMarquand and @JosephOBrien2! pic.twitter.com/m2Gk0akMlF
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 12, 2020
(Credit ATR) Muir said: “He’s come home safe and sound. I wondered whether the race might have taken a bit out of him, but he’s eaten everything and he’s in great shape.”
Muir added:“I don’t want to be dogmatic and say he didn’t stay. He didn’t stay quite as well as the first two, but I felt he was closing again at the line and at the end of the day he’s been beaten a length and a neck.
“He couldn’t quite go through the gears like he did at York. It didn’t help that he got a bump and ended up out on a wing on his own, but that’s racing.
“The Champion Stakes was the plan and I don’t see any reason to change it.
“I think he’ll be fine back at a mile and a quarter and if it did come up heavy ground, he’d handle that and it would mean you’d nearly need to stay a mile and a half well to win, which he obviously does.
“He is still a bit weak, which I’ve been telling everyone all year. He’ll be some horse next year, I promise you.”