The Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes run over almost 1m 4f at York on Wednesday (15:00) is a key St Leger trial, and Logician looks a worthy 6/4 favourite with Betfred to land the land the spoils and further enhance his Classic claims.
Trained by the in-form John Gosden, this three-year-old son of Frankel is unbeaten in three starts and looks a hugely exciting prospect.
After comfortably landing a 19-runner maiden by two lengths on debut at Newbury, Logician followed-up in good style at Newmarket when running on strongly to account for dual subsequent winner Away He Goes by 1 1/2 lengths.
He then made a total mockery of his opening handicap mark of 90 when romping to a facile 4 1/2 length success over Natty Night at Newbury.
Logician travelled strongly throughout in the hands of Frankie Dettori and, after taking up the running two from home, drew effortless clear to win easing down.
The front two pulled a further 2 1/2 lengths clear of the third home Just Hubert, and that one has gone on to bag a brace of successes in handicaps at Ripon and Sandown.
That gives the form a strong look. The manner in which Logician got the job done suggested that he had a massive future and needing keeping firmly onside.
He looks the ideal type for the St Leger and is currently a top-price 8/1 second-favourite in the ante post betting for Britain’s oldest Classic at Doncaster next month.
If he is to justify those odds, then Logician has to be winning this. Gosden has won the Great Voltigeur four times – including with Lucrano in 2007 who went on to capture St Leger glory.
Constantinople the pick of O’Brien pair
All-conquering Irish handler Aidan O’Brien saddles Constantinople and Norway, and the former looks the clear pick.
This three-year-old son of Galileo landed won a Group 3 over 1m 2f at The Curragh on his second start this season when asserting late on and cosily beating Buckhurst by half-a-length.
The runner-up is a smart sort who has gone on to land two Group 3 contests at the same venue besting Sir Dragonet on the second occasion, so that gives the form a solid look.
Connections then decided to drop Constantinople down in grade and he ran a mighty race under top weight when beaten a neck by stable companion South Pacific in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot.
He again went down all guns blazing when beaten just a neck under a penalty by Nayef Road in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
Constantinople seemed unsuited by the undulating track, as he wandered under pressure, and the return to a more conventional galloping venue looks sure to suit. He is also 3lb better off with the winner here.
If may be enough to see him turn the tables with the re-opposing winner and Constantinople, who can be backed at 5/2 with Paddy Power, thus rates the main danger to Logician.
Norway, a 14/1 shot with Ladbrokes, can’t be totally discounted now eased in grade.
He was far from disgraced when an 8 1/2 lengths third to stable companion Sovereign in the Irish Derby and went off far too hard last time out in the King George at Ascot when a 19 3/4 lengths seventh to Enable.
This represents a return to calmer waters, but the fact Norway hasn’t won in five starts this season is off-putting.
Jalmoud needs to bounce back to Great Voltigeur
Jalmoud failed to fire when sent off the 4/1 second-favourite for the aforementioned Gordon Stakes at Goodwood when a 6 1/2 lengths seventh of nine to Nayef Road, but prior to that had run some solid races and looks a player on the pick of his form.
This Charlie Appleby trained three-year-old son of New Approach colt made all to land a novice contest at Newmarket on seasonal reappearance and then showed a gusty attitude when following-up in a Listed affair in France.
Although he then trailed in last in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, Jalmoud showed that running to be all wrong when a three-length runner-up to Headman in a Group 2 at Saint-Cloud.
Headman is a progressive sort who has since followed-up in a Group 2 at Deauville, so that gives the form a decent look.
Jalmoud then ran a blinder when a 1 1/4 lengths third to the hugely exciting Japan in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp.
Japan has previously finished a half-a-length third in the Epsom Derby before impressively landing a Group 2 at Royal Ascot by a runway 4 1/2 lengths, so that makes the form look very strong in relation to this.
A repeat of that effort puts Jalmoud firmly in the mix, but backing him comes with risks attached following his underwhelming Goodwood outing.
Odds of 14/1 with BetVictor reflect that, but whether Jalmoud should be the rank outsider on his run behind Japan is highly questionable.
