Furthur slashed to 14-1 for St Leger after commanding Geoffrey Freer success for Andrew Balding

Andrew Balding has set his sights on next month's Betfred St Leger with Furthur after the colt bounced back to form with a commanding win in the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes.

The 13-2 shot finished three lengths clear of the rallying Epic Poet and was immediately cut to 14-1 (from 50s) with Betfred for the final British Classic of the season at Doncaster on September 13.

Furthur saw off opposition that included the well-fancied Nightime Dancer and Pinhole, who also hold entries for next month's Group 1, and Balding believes he is a genuine St Leger contender.

He said: "I'd hope he'd have a great chance [at Doncaster]. We made an entry and this is a trial as it were, so why not? We can put a line through his last run, and if you look at his Ascot performance and today, then he fully deserves his place in the line-up."

It was a second course win for the Waldgeist colt, who ran a career best when finishing second in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot before trailing home last of five in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket last month.

Balding said: "If we hadn't run him at Newmarket and had come here straight from Ascot then he'd have been the 6-4 favourite, I'd have thought. You always have concerns after he ran as poorly as he did at Newmarket, but I think there were legitimate excuses for that. 

"We've got a nice break before the Leger and hopefully we can have him in the same form for that."

It was the first leg of a treble for Oisin Murphy, who also enjoyed victories on Balding's Venetian Prince in the 7f novice and the Ed Walker-trained Fort George in the 1m2f handicap.

Flying visit

Owner Ahmad Al Shaikh is also dreaming of a Classic crack with Al Wasl Storm after he struck in the 1m4f handicap.

Al Wasl Storm, who runs under Al Shaikh's Green Team Racing banner, finished 15th of 18 in the Derby and could also join the St Leger equation after his second win for Owen Burrows.

Al Shaikh said: "Since I bought him I noticed he had an engine, and I think he'll be better over a further trip. Maybe we'll go for a race on September 13 [St Leger]. He's got ability. After the Derby, we probably shouldn't have gone to Royal Ascot. We should've come for something like this to build him up again."

Burrows added: "The way he finished off there then he'd have no problem with an extra couple of furlongs. Ahmad flew in last night, so at least it was worth the trip."

Al Wasl Storm is a best-priced 150-1 with bet365 for the St Leger.

His win was the second part of a double for Billy Loughnane, who earlier scored with Rhythm N Hooves in the 5f handicap.

Gift reward

Lou Lou’s Gift managed to hold off the chasing Leadman to return to winning ways for the first time since her year-long layoff. 

Trained by William Haggas, the Lope De Vega filly beat only one rival in the Group 3 Valiant Stakes at Ascot last month, but took full advantage of a drop in trip and into calmer waters.

It was her first win since July 2024, and Marquand said: "Getting her head back in front will hopefully do her the world of good because her confidence will go back up. She's probably not the most versatile, but she's got a good amount of ability and it's just about getting things to feel like they're her idea."

Betfred St Leger (3.35 Doncaster, September 13)
Betfred: 5-4 Scandinavia, 5-2 Lambourn, 7 Lazy Griff, 11 Carmers, 12 Minnie Hauk, Tennessee Stud, 14 Arabian Force, Furthur, 16 bar.

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