Boughey taking Joseph O'Brien route to the St Leger with Cup hope Hoo Ya Mal

George Boughey is set to take inspiration from fellow young-gun trainer Joseph O'Brien in using the Cazoo St Leger as a potential springboard for the Lexus Melbourne Cup with Hoo Ya Mal.

The Derby runner-up was sold to an Australian syndicate led by Sir Owen Glenn for £1.2 million at the eve-of-Ascot Goffs London Sale and will be heading to join the training tandem of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott for the latter half of the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Waterhouse told the Racing Post last weekend that "the Melbourne Cup is the dream" with Hoo Ya Mal, who was last seen running second to Desert Crown in the Derby at odds of 150-1 for Ahmad Al Shaikh and Andrew Balding.

However, the son of Territories was the surprise name among 27 entries for the St Leger on Tuesday and will be trained for the race by Boughey, who is a big believer in the O'Brien method with three-year-olds en route to Flemington.

"He's a horse who Gai and Adrian have bought to step up to two miles with in Australia," said Boughey. "It's well documented that Joseph O'Brien has been the master of taking them down there and winning as three-year-olds.

George Boughey: will train Hoo Ya Mal towards the St Leger before the colt joins Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in AustraliaCredit: Edward Whitaker

"He went via the St Leger route, whether it be the Irish or the English, and I just think that stretching him out that far before he goes is key.

"Personally, before I knew the horse, I doubted whether he would stay the Derby trip, but he got a beautiful ride and settled very well. I think that's the way with him, he needs to be ridden to finish and that's probably what we'll do going forward.

"The first target is probably the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. It's not set in stone, but it's the logical place for a horse who's been runner-up in a Derby.

"His work's been pleasing us and William Buick sat on him yesterday morning so working back from Goodwood is the first plan."

Should Hoo Ya Mal go for that Group 3 next Thursday, among the St Leger candidates he could meet is Grand Alliance, who appears fully recovered after being "very sore" in the wake of his defeat in the King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot last month.

"We got him checked out by a physio and he was just really uncomfortable," said his trainer Charlie Fellowes. "He's been training incredibly well since and he genuinely seems a much happier horse.

"He did a piece of work last week that was pretty good and he'll do one more piece at the weekend. Then the plan is probably to head to the Gordon next Thursday at Goodwood."

Grand Alliance: Royal Ascot second is on track for the LegerCredit: Edward Whitaker

Paul and Susan Roy's homebred son of Churchill is a half-brother to the Jersey Stakes winner Dutch Connection, while the family has generally thrived at up to but not beyond a mile.

"All we can do is look at the way he's run and slightly disregard his pedigree," said Fellowes. "On breeding he shouldn't be getting anywhere near a mile and a half, let alone a mile and six. But there's absolutely no doubt he gets a mile and a half, and every time he’s run over a mile and a half he's looked like he'd be even better over further."

Irish Derby hero Westover heads the betting at a best-priced 2-1, while Aidan O'Brien is next in with Changingoftheguard and Aikhal.

O'Brien is responsible for nine entries in total, although sons Joseph and Donnacha do not feature on the list.

Also among the entries is Oaks runner-up Emily Upjohn, who is due to face Westover in the King George on Saturday.

Cazoo St Leger card and betting

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