Feel Like Dancing on course for Ladbrokes St Leger

Entries for final Classic of the season close next Tuesday, July 23

Entries for the final Classic of the season, the Ladbrokes St Leger, close next Tuesday, July 23.

Offering a record prize fund of £600,000, the Group One contest takes place over one mile, six furlongs and 132 yards at Doncaster on Saturday, September 14. Entries for the world's oldest Classic will be revealed on Wednesday, July 24.

One horse who will receive a Ladbrokes St Leger entry is the John Gosden-trained Feel Like Dancing. The son of Galileo, a half-brother to Group One Coronation Stakes heroine Indian Ink, was unraced as a two-year-old but made a winning debut at Newbury this season in an 11-furlong maiden on April 20. He was subsequently second in the Group Three Queen's Vase over two miles at Royal Ascot on June 21 before landing the Group Three Bahrain Trophy over a mile and five furlongs at Newmarket on July 11. He is a 20/1 chance with Ladbrokes for Doncaster Classic glory.

Hugo Lascelles, racing manager to owner Lady Bamford, reported today: "Feel Like Dancing will be entered for the Ladbrokes St Leger.

"He has come out of Newmarket fine and I thought the performance was good. He is learning all the time and still a bit mentally immature. When he hit the front, he looked around a bit and I don't think he would ever win by too far.

"His run at Ascot was also very good and the cheekpieces have made a difference. He dug deep on both occasions and I think there is plenty of room for improvement.

"We are seeing how the land lies at the moment but he could run in the Neptune Investment Management Great Voltigeur Stakes (York on August 21) next."

Gosden has won the Ladbrokes St Leger four times, including in two of the last three years with Arctic Cosmos (2010) and Masked Marvel (2011). Masked Marvel captured  the Bahrain Trophy prior to his Doncaster success.

This year, the Ladbrokes St Leger moves to be the fourth race on the card on Saturday, September 14 with an off-time of 3.50pm, having previously been scheduled as the third race.

Kate Hills, Director of Public Relations & Media Communications at ARC, explained: "Having the Ladbrokes St Leger permanently as the fourth race on the card at 3.50pm will enable a real sense of anticipation to build up throughout the afternoon and position it in the centre of what is always a fabulous day."

The two other early entry races at the Ladbrokes St Leger Festival, the Group Two At The Races Champagne Stakes and the Group Two OLBG Park Stakes also close on Tuesday, July 23. Entries for these two races will be revealed on Thursday, July 25.

About the Ladbrokes St Leger Festival

The Ladbrokes St Leger Festival is the jewel in the crown of horse racing in Yorkshire and the showpiece of Doncaster's social calendar. Racegoers enjoy a delightful blend of history, quality racing and live entertainment across the four-day racing extravaganza. The 2013 renewal takes place from Wednesday, September 11 through to Saturday, September 14 inclusive.

Since the first running of the St Leger in 1776, racegoers from all over the country have been drawn to Doncaster to capture a taste of the unique atmosphere.

The famous Festival is one of the highlights of the Flat racing calendar. The crescendo builds to Saturday, when the flagship event - the illustrious Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes - takes centre-stage.

The meeting also features a number of high-class supporting races, highlights being the Scarbrough Stakes on Leger Legends Day (Wednesday), the Park Hill Stakes on DFS Ladies' Day (Thursday), the Doncaster Cup on Friday and the At The Races Champagne Stakes and OLBG Park Stakes on Saturday.

For further details and to book tickets, please contact Doncaster Racecourse on 01302 304230 or go to www.doncaster-racececourse.co.uk. The dedicated Ladbrokes St Leger microsite can be found at www.doncaster-racecourse.co.uk/stleger.