Enceladus camp excited for the future with St Leger second

Connections of St Leger runner-up Enceladus are convinced they have a top-class middle distance performer to go to war with next season.

The rapidly improving three-year-old may be done for the year after chasing home his Saffie Osborne-ridden stablemate Highwayman in last Saturday’s Doncaster showpiece, with owners Flaxman Stables set to discuss plans when Joseph O’Brien returns from Keeneland at the end of the week.

But if the Leger was the last dance of a campaign which has seen the son of Sea The Stars progress from handicaps to Classics, connections believe that as a four-year-old he should have the best mile and a half contests in his sights.

“We were very happy with the run as the winner is a very good horse and obviously very progressive,” said Aurelien Voileau, racing manager to the Flaxman Stables, owned by the Niarchos family.

“We’re delighted with the run. It was the first one at Group One level and the first time over the distance, so it worked out well.

“We are not sure just yet whether he will have another run this season. He just got home on Sunday and is all happy and good, but we will take a few days to reassess the plan and to see if Joseph wants to go one more time.

“If we do put him away for the winter and give him time to strengthen into his big frame, he is going to be quite exciting next year. When he jumped off him Billy Loughnane said he was delighted with the run and was saying he is going to be such a good horse next year when he strengthens even more.

“He was happy with the way he stayed and the way he travelled and hit the line, but it would be no problem going back to a mile and a half and that would give him a lot more options. He could be a fun horse next year.”