'He's made massive strides through the summer' - Melrose winner Middle Earth to be supplemented for St Leger

Middle Earth is set to be supplemented for the final Classic of the season, the Betfred St Leger, after impressing connections when winning the Melrose at York last week.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden for Qatar Racing, Middle Earth stepped up from winning a valuable novice at Newmarket to power away from his rivals in the closing stages of the Melrose on his handicap debut under Oisin Murphy.

Middle Earth, whose sire is Qatar Racing’s ill-fated four-time Group 1 winner Roaring Lion, will need to be added to the St Leger at a cost of £50,000 on September 11.

David Redvers, racing manager for Qatar Racing, said on Wednesday: “That’s the plan, subject to the horse being okay between now and when we have to make the supplementary entry.

“Oisin, John and Thady are all keen that he goes and he’s made massive strides through the summer. The Melrose is holding up as a very good trial for the Leger and the way he did it the other day at York impressed everyone.

“He’s been a big improver and John and Thady have been patient with him. He’s developed into a big, imposing horse now whereas he wasn’t as a younger horse. You want a horse who is on the serious incline going into a race like the St Leger and he looks to be that.”

Oisin Murphy: retained rider for Qatar RacingCredit: Edward Whitaker

Middle Earth is 11-1 with Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power for next month’s St Leger, with the market headed by Gregory and Continuous at 7-2. The Classic is set to feature Desert Hero, owned by the King and Queen, who is an 11-2 chance.

Qatar Racing would be seeking a second victory in the St Leger following Simple Verse’s success in 2015. The filly had been first past the post before being demoted to second and subsequently reinstated as the winner on appeal.

Redvers said there were similarities between the progress made by Simple Verse and what has been shown by Middle Earth, and added: “He’s not terribly different from her. She started off looking like an ordinary filly but made rapid progress through the ranks as a three-year-old.

“If you had asked us whether she would be a St Leger horse at the end of her two-year-old career then we’d have thought you were being fanciful. However, she improved a lot physically as a three-year-old and at the moment every time Middle Earth comes out of his box he’s improved as a physical.”

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