Owen optimistic over Brown Panther Michael Owen is hoping Brown Panther has a better chance than the bookmakers might believe in today's Palmerstown House Estate Irish St Leger at the Curragh. The six-year-old's breeder and joint-owner saw him finish third in the same race a couple of seasons ago and would dearly love for him to finally strike at the top level. Brown Panther was fourth to Aidan O'Brien's likely favourite Leading Light in the Gold Cup, and has run respectable subsequent races at Longchamp and in the Goodwood Cup. "The aim at the start of the season was to try and win a Group One and we thought the Irish St Leger would be the easiest to win," Owen said of the Tom Dascombe-trained runner. "The conditions normally suit our horse, but this race looks a hot race. The bookmakers have us at 10 or 12-1, which is probably realistic of our chance. "He (Leading Light) beat us fair and square in the Ascot Gold Cup when ours looked like a non-stayer. If you cut the race off at the mile and six furlong point, we were tanking along on the bridle and looked the only one likely to win. "I think a mile and six furlongs and two miles is his optimum trip. He won the Goodwood Cup going away last year, and it looked like he didn't stay at Royal Ascot. "Perhaps, we have more pace than that horse (Leading Light), but maybe I'm clutching at straws as he's also won over the trip before. "It's going to be tough, but stranger things have happened and he's in fine fettle at home." Brown Panther ran in last year's Melbourne Cup but Owen has targets closer to home this time around. The former footballer said: "He might run in the Qipco British Champions Day Stayers' race after this, then France, and then we'll look to next season. "We'd like to think there's a role at stud at some stage, and if we could get that elusive Group One, then all the better."
