Stoute believes Crystal Ocean was outstayed in great St Leger tussle
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
By Racinguk.com staff
Sir Michael Stoute believes Crystal Ocean was betrayed by a lack of stamina in the William Hill St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday.
The progressive three-year-old looked like he wa coming to win the Classic in the closing stages under Jim Crowley, only for Capri to pull out a bit more and fend him off by half a length.
"I'd prefer to have won it, but he ran a great race, we're thrilled with him," Stoute said. "I thought he was going to win, but we won't run him beyond a mile and a half again. It was always a danger that he was a mile-and-a-half horse and that's his trip.
"Jim (Crowley) gave him a lovely ride and I always felt he might win. Jim reported he was always pretty confident, but he was just outstayed."
Stradivarius, the Goodwood Cup winner, was a short head further back in third, with his stablemate, Coronet, the choice of Frankie Dettori, fifth. The former was heavily backed before the off.
Gosden said of his two runners: "He (Stradivarius) has run a cracker. It was a relentless pace, very strong and there was no hiding place.
"Coronet has run a lovely race (fifth) and she will go to Champions Day for the Fillies & Mares race.
"This fellow (Stradivarius) got isolated, he was coming back in the last 50 yards but they were racing away from him and he wasn't racing against anything.
"If he comes out of it well he will go to Ascot for the Stayers' race (the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup)."
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