No more excuses for top-class Ancient Wisdom - but is he ready to deliver?

Charlie Appleby has saddled two of the last three winners of this race and three years ago, the subsequent Breeders’ Cup hero Yibir was successful, so the Godolphin trainer runs his best.

That is the case once again this year because Ancient Wisdom is a Group 1 winner competing in a Group 3 race, but he has yet to show his top-class juvenile form in two runs this season.

The son of Dubawi was beaten six lengths by Economics on his seasonal reappearance in the Dante at York and took a step backwards when 16 lengths behind City Of Troy in the Derby at Epsom last time. It’s legitimate to question whether he has trained on this campaign.

This should give us some answers because he looks certain to improve for an extra furlong and testing ground suits him well. There are no excuses now and it’s time for him to deliver.

Portland has already seen the back of another star Godolphin three-year-old, having finished four lengths behind Arabian Crown in the Classic Trial at Sandown. That was on good to soft ground and testing conditions seem to be the key because he has run below form twice since.

He was still good enough to beat Kinesiology, a non-runner in this, when they met in Listed company at Leopardstown last month, but a Racing Post Rating of 101 was 3lb lower than what he achieved in defeat at Sandown and he was well held on fast going at Ascot last time.

The return to an easy surface probably makes Portland the biggest danger to Ancient Wisdom, but don’t discount Space Legend. He also likes plenty of cut in the ground and has now improved his RPR with every run, including a career-best second at Royal Ascot last time.

Trainer William Haggas won this with Al Aasy four years ago, so knows what is needed.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

'Trip the most important thing' for Wisdom

Ancient Wisdom is back on ground with significant ease in it for the first time since his career highlight in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster last October and gets the opportunity to lay down a strong St Leger pointer.

Like the others in the four-runner line up, Charlie Appleby’s colt is going into unknown territory beyond 1m4f for the first time in a bid to give his trainer a third win in the race in the past four years following Yibr (2021) and Castle Way a year ago.

Ancient Wisdom finishes six lengths behind Economics in the DanteCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

That pair were unable to have a crack at the final domestic Classic of the season at Doncaster in September as they were geldings but that is no concern for Ancient Wisdom, who is a best-priced 33-1 chance for St Leger glory.

Ancient Wisdom posted a fair comeback when second to Economics in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York before finishing eighth behind City Of Troy in the Derby when he may not have handled the Epsom undulations.

Appleby said: "They've had rain at Newmarket, although it looks as though the ground will be good to soft or probably nearer genuine good ground. We feel that the step up in trip is going to be the most important thing for Ancient Wisdom and he goes there in good order."

What they say

Oisin Murphy, rider of Royal Supremacy
It's a small field and very competitive but he's an improving horse and acquitted himself well when third at Royal Ascot last time. He's by Make Believe so any ease in the ground should be fine for him.

William Haggas, trainer of Space Legend
He's very well. He won on the soft at Leicester before and we'll see if he's going to make up into a St Leger horse later this season. He needs to run well in this to be considered for that, however.
Reporting by David Milnes

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