Frankel's Logician in a Class of his Own in St Leger

Mark Smith - Sunday September 15

Frankels' crowd pleasing roan son Logician kept his record at a perfect five for five in Saturday's Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster.

The long-striding 3yo colt came from near the tail of the field under Frankie Dettori to defeat Sir Ron Priestley (Australia) by two and a quarter lengths with Nayef Road (Galileo) a head back in third. (images Doncaster Racecourse and Juddmonte)

Advertisement

It was not good news for the quartet of three-year-olds nominated for the Melbourne Cup.Il Paradiso (Galileo), Technician (Mastercraftsman), Dashing Willoughby (Nathaniel) and Western Australia (Australia) all failed to impress and were the final four home. 


The only runner expected to make a race of it with Logician was the Group III Chester Vase winner Sir Dragonet who clocked in fourth.

It was a sixth win in the world's oldest classic for Dettori and a fifth for trainer John Gosden.

"He took Frankie on early, you could see Frankie's hands were higher than usual, but he eventually relaxed well," Gosden told Sporting Life.

"He stayed the trip well, which is always a worry, and the fast ground rather than it being testing probably helped him stay the trip and he's won in a record time with one flick of the stick.

"He's a mile-and-a-half horse really, but this is a Classic and Prince Khalid was keen because he breeds these lovely horses and wanted to win a Classic for Frankel - we've won him two now as we also won the Oaks for him (with Anapurna). 

"The way he quickened with just one flick - he's a gorgeous horse. I think he'd be better on good ground, rather than good to firm.

"He'll probably revert to a mile and a half next year. He's done so much so quickly this year that we'll put him away now, he won't run again this season.

"He was held back for some time and I was diligent with him, having not done a lot at two. He's come a long way in a short period of time."

A half-brother to multiple Group III winner Diffused (Champs Elysees), Logician is the fifth winner from as many to race out of Juddmonte Farms stakes-placed Daylami mare Scuffle who is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Cityscape (Selkirk) and Group II winner and multiple Group 1 placed Bated Breath now a promising young stallion Bated Breath (Dansili).

Scuffle has a two-year-old colt by Invincible Spirit, a yearling filly by Kingman and a colt foal by Time Test. She was covered by Frankel again this year.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Breeding to Win - 2026 Magic Millions 2YO Classic
The Gold Coast is the centre of the Australasian thoroughbred universe this week, abuzz with all the theatre and excitement of the Magic Millions on and off the track!
MyRacehorse Snap Up $750,000 Stay Inside Filly
With two stakes-winners on his resume already, Golden Slipper winning sire Stay Inside couldn’t be doing much more and Sledmere Stud were well rewarded when they sold one of his fillies at Magic Millions on Friday for $750,000.
Frankel's Miss Fabulass Returns to Form
The royally-bred Frankel mare Miss Fabulass came with a barnstorming finish to earn her second stakes win in Saturday’s Listed The Spirit Of Boom Classic (1200m) at Doomben.
Best On Breeding
Five Australian-breds will line up in Saturday’s $5million Group 1 MRC Caulfield Cup (2400m), which is just two more than Frankel has supplied from his first two crops.
Frankel Colt Tops Electric Trade at Tattersalls December Foal Sale
The Frankel colt out of Simple Verse was the top price on an electric day of trade at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale selling for 600,000 guineas, one of 14 lots to sell for 300,000 guineas or more.
Widden Sell First Million Dollar Yearling for Anamoe
Australian Horse of the Year Anamoe is leading the first season sire averages at Magic Millions and put the issue well beyond doubt when he produced his first seven figure yearling on Friday with Widden Stud’s colt from Secret Trail fetching $1.1million.
Frankel's San Remo Prepares for a Jumping Career
When a Frankel half-brother to multiple Group 1 winners Dubawi Heights and Make Believe was born at Barronstown Stud in 2014 it’s doubtful that connections were eying off a benchmark 70 over 3800 metres at Ararat, yet here we are.
$625,000 In the Congo Colt to Gai and Adrian
He’s a three-quarter brother to undefeated superstar Autumn Glow and won the Group I ATC Golden Rose beating Anamoe, so it was no surprise when In the Congo made a splash at Magic Millions on Friday to deliver a colt that sold for $625,000.
$500,000 Filly for Nicconi – Sister to Scorched Earth
Widden Stud’s 20 year-old stallion Nicconi is best known as the sire of champion sprinter Nature Strip and while high end commercial breeders have largely moved on from the evergreen sire, he made his presence felt at the Magic Millions on Friday when his lone yearling sold for $500,000.
Diamond Hopefuls Emerge at Sandown Trials
Unraced Ole Kirk filly Jadzia and stakes-placed Wild Ruler colt Stretan Ruler will plot a path towards the $2 million Group 1 Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) following trial wins at Sandown Hillside on Thursday.