Frankie Dettori takes sixth St Leger aboard impressive winner Logician

Frankie Dettori won his first St Leger in 1995, three years before Donnacha O’Brien, who rode the second-favourite in the latest renewal here on Saturday, was born. Twenty-four years later, he is still centre stage and a rider who can electrify a big-race crowd like no other, a talent he demonstrated once again as he steered Logician, the 5-6 favourite, to an uncomplicated success in the world’s oldest Classic, the rider’s 15th winner at Group One level this year.

One more Group One victory will equal Dettori’s best return of 16 in the 2001 season, when he rode the royal blue wave of Godolphin’s winners when the operation was at the peak of its powers. These days, it is the John Gosden stable that supplies the majority of his best horses and it looks like a case of when rather than if this will be confirmed as the finest season of Dettori’s illustrious career, shortly before his 49th birthday in December.

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Leger weekend is the start of an extended sequence of major Festivals, including Arc weekend at Longchamp, Champions Day at Ascot and the Breeders’ Cup in the US, where Dettori had a double on the main card last year. He goes into the autumn in the form of his life, with dozens of Group One opportunities ahead of him, though few are likely to be as straightforward as Logician’s success on Saturday.

Logician took a keen hold in the early stages but Dettori was content to sit towards the rear of the field as two of Aidan O’Brien’s three runners made the running.

O’Brien’s main contender, Sir Dragonet, made some progress from even further back after the field turned into the long home straight, but Logician was still travelling strongly and Dettori was able to pick his moment to send his horse for home. He crossed the line two‑and‑a-quarter lengths in front of Sir Ron Priestley who was in turn a neck ahead of Nayef Road third and Sir Dragonet only fourth.

“The favourite obliged and everybody’s happy,” Dettori said. “It’s been a great year, thankfully, for the great trainer I work for, John Gosden. He’s got plenty of ammunition and he provides me with plenty of good horses in big races.

“I’ve won two Classics this year and I’m going to enjoy the moment, then get back to the drawing board and get ready for the Arc [where he rides Enable, the favourite] in three weeks’ time. I’ve still plenty of things to do at the moment.

“John was always keen on this horse and he made me go to Newbury one evening [in early July] to ride him in a handicap, which I thought was a bit strange. But he had big targets and there’s plenty more to come next year. From two‑and-a-half out, I knew that I’d won.”

Ffos Las 2.05 Port Noir 2.3 5 Bealach 3.10 Captain Sedgwick 3.45 Madeleine Bond 4.20 Sincerity 5.00 Tigerskin (nb) 5.35 Kasuku 

Bath 2.15 Airbrush 2.45 New Arrangement 3.20 Orange Suit 3.55 Three Little Birds (nap) 4.30 Charlie D 5.10 About Glory 5.45 Carp Kid 

O’Brien drew a blank from 14 runners at the meeting here but he made a much stronger showing on the first day of Ireland’s Champions Weekend at Leopardstown as Magical, the 11-10 favourite, led home a 1-2-3 for his stable in the Irish Champion Stakes. Magic Wand was second with Anthony Van Dyck, this year’s Derby winner, back in third.

That completed a treble for O’Brien after Group-race wins for Mogul, the early favourite for next year’s Derby at Epsom, and Norway. He was denied a four-timer when Iridessa – trained by his son, Joseph, edged out Hermosa in the Group One Matron Stakes later on the card.

Magical has finished second to Enable three times at Group One level, but is still likely to have a fourth crack at Gosden’s filly in the Arc next month.