Dry conditions make Kingston Hill uncertain for St Leger at Doncaster

A field of 14 horses are set for Saturday’s showpiece race but trainer Roger Varian does not want firm ground for his Derby runner-up in the mile-and-three-quarter Classic.

He said the favourite would be an unlikely starter for the race unless the drying ground is watered.

The four-day St Leger Festival is one of the highlights of the flat racing calendar, and is the jewel in the crown of horseracing in Yorkshire and the showpiece of Doncaster's social calendar.

The St Leger is the final British classic of the flat racing season for three-year-old horses following the 2,000 Guineas, 1,000 Guineas, Oaks and Derby.

It is the world's oldest classic and has been staged since 1776 and is named after a local sportsman, Anthony St Leger, who had the idea for the race.

Should Kingston Hill run in Saturday's renewal, Varian believes his charge will justify favouritism for the St Leger and improve from his fourth-place finish in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.

Kingston Hill completed an unbeaten three-race juvenile campaign by winning the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October 2013, but he has yet to win this season, finishing eighth in the 2,000 Guineas before coming runner-up to Australia in the Epsom Derby.

"We'd look back on the Guineas and say he was never going to be a miler. Without doubt, he's a middle-distance horse," Varian said.

However the big question remains whether Kingston Hill will run at all due to the conditions at Doncaster with the dry weather continuing.

Kingston Hill has already been pulled out of two races late on this season, the Irish Derby and the Great Voltigeur Stakes, due to unsuitable going but there seemed little enthusiasm for watering to ensure his participation this time around.

Doncaster clerk of the course Roderick Duncan is set to make a decision on whether to water the course but repeated that current plans did not involve watering, although there is a possibility they may look to review the situation later on Friday.

Should Kingston Hill miss out, it would open the door for his rivals to snatch the St Leger glory which include the John Gosden-trained Romsdal, Snow Sky for Sir Michael Stoute and Richard Hannon's Windshear.

William Buick rides Romsdal – who came third in the Derby - for Gosden, who is seeking a fifth Leger win, with Frankie Dettori set to partner stable-mate Forever Now.

The Italian will be hoping for success to end what has been a difficult week after he lost the ride aboard last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve. Al Naamah, the Andre Fabre-trained filly who cost a staggering five million guineas, then finished only sixth in the Prix d'Aumale at Chantilly on Tuesday.

Snow Sky will have James Doyle on board, whilst three-time champion jockey Ryan Moore rides Kings Fete for Stoute.