Brown Panther well clear in the Curragh© Photo Healy Racing
Brown Panther gave owner Michael Owen, trainer Tom Dascombe and jockey Richard Kingscote a first Classic success when he galloped all over the opposition in the Irish St Leger.
The six-year-old gelding tracked pacemaker Eye Of The Storm but was well clear of the pack throughout. He held a lead of around eight lengths on Pale Mimosa who was settled in third by Pat Smullen.
Rounding the bend leading into the home straight and Kingscote kicked his charge past Eye Of the Storm with over two furlongs to go. Eyes were drawn back to the chasing pack to see who would burst out and reel him in. However, Brown Panther resolutely strode home and no horse came to challenge him as he sauntered in by six and a half lengths at 14/1. Leading Light the 9/10 favourite, won the battle for second. He beat Encke (9/1) into third by a head but they were never in the race.
Tom Dascombe said: “Well the first thing to say is he gave him a brilliant ride. It’s just worked out today. We have been having a real lean time. We didn’t manage to have a winner last week and I was close to pulling him out. But there aren’t too many Irish St Leger’s so you have to run. The horse never lets us down.
“He won’t go to Australia. He’ll go for the Champions race at Ascot if he’s alright in the morning. We are thinking about giving him a few races in Dubai. He’ll probably run for one more season. It’s my first Group 1 winner and couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Part owner and former top footballer Michael Owen said: “That was very special. He’s the apple of my eye as everyone knows and he was pretty spectacular out there today. Richard was a bit closer to the pace than we envisaged. He’s a relentless galloper and he quickened again. He kept galloping and he’s a superstar.”
Richard Kingscote said: “That was quite impressive wasn’t it? The race panned out in our favour. There was nothing on my girth chasing me so I was delighted. The way he quickened at the two pole was very good.
“He can respond when he gets to the front. I was always wondering when they were going to come. He really deserved that. He’s been campaigned highly.”
On Leading Light Aidan O'Brien commented: "He ran well. The first two got away. It was a bit unfortunate as he needs company to make up his ground. If he's working with other horses he'll only win by a length or half a length.
"There's a chance he could run on Arc weekend although the boys are anxious he is kept around for the Gold Cup next year."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
