John Gosden's unbeaten star Logician is said to be in fine form ahead of his bid for the St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday in which he will face a maximum of 10 runners in the final British Classic contest of the season.
The son of Frankel will be looking to extend his four race unbeaten run at Town Moor in what will be his hardest test to date with the the three year old stepping up to his longest trip and his first ever Group One contest.
The likeable grey has snook under radar for the most part of his career having raced in Class 3 and 4 races before his break through victory last time out on the Knavesmire at the Ebor meeting where he eased away from a smart field of runners in the Great Voltigeur.
Before the Group Two, Gosden's runner was 7/1 for the Group One at Doncaster but after he breezed to victory he was smashed into 5/4 and it would not be a surprise to see the colt be shorter before the off on Saturday.
Logician will be looking to give Gosden his fifth win in the Classic race over 1m6½f trying to follow in the footsteps of Shantou (1996), Lucarno (2007), Arctic Cosmos (2010) and Masked Marvel (2011).
Aidan O'Brien has won the last two renewals of the contest and six times overall which means he won't be going down without a fight and currently holds six potential runners in the Group One field.
The Ballydoyle Maestro could shorten that number down before the start of the contest but at the moment has Barbados, Norway, South Pacific, Western Australia, II Paradiso and what looks his best chance with Epsom Derby favourite Sir Dragonet.
Others that are set to make the frame at the weekend is Mark Johnston's ever consistent Sir Ron Priestley who has won five of his six starts this season with the only blemish on his record coming at Royal Ascot.
He is stepping up to Group One level for the first time like many of these horses entered in the contest but has been one of the most progressive horses of the season and is primed for another big run looking for his fourth straight victory.
Martyn Meade does not have many runners as a trainer anymore but Technician runs for him in the Leger and would love the rain to fall in the coming days and should have big place claims if it does.
Last time out he landed the Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury in his optimal conditions and proved he would stay the Leger trip that day.
Dashing Willoughby makes up the final runner in the field for Andrew Balding with a strange jockey booking of William Buick that might bring the best out of him.
However, the main attraction on the day will be Logician for John Gosden and the trainer believes that the step up in trip will bring the best out of him.
(Credit At The Races) “He has been in great form since York,” said the Newmarket trainer.
“He is a very relaxed character and he has a lovely big, long, loping stride. I thought (back in May) this might be a Leger horse.
“He has come a long way in a short time. The nice long straight at Doncaster should suit him well.
“But it will not just be Aidan and our one horse – there are other horses in play, and I’ve mentioned one that won at Goodwood (Sir Ron Priestley). It has more depth to the field than people are making out.”