Joseph O'Brien is relishing the opportunity to dine once more at the top table in his burgeoning training career as he looks set to saddle Irish Derby winner Latrobe in the final British Classic of the season, the William Hill St Leger over one mile and six furlongs at Doncaster on September 15.
The three-year-old son of Camelot recorded a half-length success in the Irish Derby over 12 furlongs at the Curragh but disappointed when a well-beaten seventh of eight runners in an excellent renewal of the G1 Juddmonte International at York in August over an extended 10 furlongs.
Advert
Whilst the former jockey has concerns over Latrobe's ability to stay 14 furlongs on Town Moor, he is keen to roll the dice with the progressive colt, who is owned by Australian Lloyd Williams, who teamed up with O'Brien to win "the race that stops a nation", the Lexus Melbourne Cup with Rekindling last season.
A trip Down Under is being considered for Latrobe depending on his run at Doncaster with connections not ruling out a tilt at the two-mile contest in either 2018 or 2019.
O'Brien, who has 150 horses in training, said at his Piltown base in County Kilkenny: "We were unsure whether Latrobe was a horse who wanted 12 furlongs or whether he would come back to a mile and a quarter so it [York run] was a fact-finding mission. We had an easier option for the Voltigeur but it made more sense to find out exactly where we were. He didn't run too badly. He was outpaced and stayed on okay."
Advert
O'Brien partnered Leading Light, trained by his father Aidan, to glory in the 2015 renewal of the William Hill St Leger and also rode Camelot, Latrobe's father, to finish second behind Encke in the 2012 edition when attempting to emulate Triple Crown winner Nijinsky, having also won the 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby.
Discussing the 14-furlong event, O'Brien continued: "He should get the trip, but he's out of a quick mare and his half-sister was best at seven furlongs so it wouldn't be guaranteed but you'd be quite hopeful. He's in good shape. He has the option of the Irish Leger on the same weekend and I'd like to think he has a nice chance of running very well in either race. He's relatively versatile ground-wise."
Latrobe is also entered in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups in Australia with O'Brien. Discussing another trip Down Under, O'Brien revealed: "It's a big ask for a three-year-old colt. It's not a decision we will take lightly. If everything went to plan in the Leger and we were very happy with him then we could go but it's not set in stone. They're different types of horses. Latrobe is a bigger horse which is why he's quite lightly-raced while Rekindling's stamina was kind of assured."
Advert
Another progressive horse at O'Brien's disposal is Ming who finished a creditable sixth in the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington last time out. He could be on his travels again with a tilt at the Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine, Canada, on the agenda.
The burgeoning young trainer said: "He might go to Canada for the Northern Dancer in a few weeks time. He ran a nice race in America and may have been third but he got a knock at the bottom of the straight," said O'Brien.
"He's been bought by Qatari owners and we are very lucky to have them in the yard. I suppose Qatar might be an option in February so we'll work back from then.
"It was nice to see him run like that as prior to that he'd only run in conditions races, but that proved he belongs at that sort of level. It was a good run."
Advert
The William Hill St Leger Festival runs from Wednesday 12 August through to Saturday 15 August at Doncaster Racecourse.
Featured Image Credit: