Ice-cool Kieren Fallon is eyeing the one British Classic missing from his collection after conjuring a remarkable win out of Alexius at Goodwood yesterday.
His mount leapt to favouritism for the Rothmans Royal St Leger in September as he turned certain defeat into improbable victory in the Group Three Peugeot Gordon Stakes.
Alexius, having only the second race of his life, showed his inexperience as he completely missed the break, and trailed his 10 rivals by fully eight lengths in the early stages.
But Fallon refused to panic, allowed his mount plenty of time to find his feet and was rewarded as the colt started to pick off his opponents one by one.
Amazingly, the three-year-old hit the front two furlongs out in the mile-and-a-half event and had enough in reserve to hold off Demophilos by a neck, with former "wonder horse" Nayef - running for the first time since finishing eighth in the 2000 Guineas - another length and a half away in third.
It was a virtual carbon-copy of Fallon's last-to-first win on Asian Heights in the Predominate Stakes here in May and the jockey said: "The stalls are on a bit of a slope and some horse tend to lie back instead of jump forward.
"I knew I was in trouble and it would be very difficult to make up the ground. There is not a lot you can do but you must let them find their feet and put them to sleep at the back. If you chase them along early you will burn them out and they have nothing to finish with. If they are good enough they usually find their way through."
The winner is Coral's 5 to 2 favourite to go one place better than stablemate Air Marshall, who was second in this event and in the Leger last year.
And he is quoted at 3 to 1 by William Hill to end a Doncaster hoodoo for Sir Michael Stoute whose many losers in the final Classic include the legendary Shergar.
"He has got a lot of improvement in him," Fallon said. "We liked him when he won first time at Newmarket and that race has worked out well. We knew this was a tough race for an inexperienced horse and he has done it well. I have never won the Leger and nor has the boss so it would be nice to win it. But it is early days yet."
Stoute himself missed the race but his travelling head lad Jimmy Scott said of the winner, who only made his debut 19 days ago: "He was immature as a two-year-old so the boss left him alone. We haven't seen the best of him, he'll improve and improve - he is still a baby."
Demophilos delighted Amanda Perrett, who said: "It's taken him a while to get it right on the track but he's run a good race. I don't know where he'll go - he probably had quite a hard race there."
And Marcus Tregoning, 42 yesterday, was happy that winter Classic favourite Nayef had gone some way to redeeming his reputation on his first run over 12 furlongs. "He's had a long time off but he definitely gets the trip so we've done the right thing in that department," the trainer said.
"Probably with another winter over him it might make another difference. I don't know where he'll go now, it depends which way we want to go with him."
In the winner's enclosure Fallon took the opportunity to pay tribute to King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes winner Galileo, saying the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt is: "The best horse I've seen in my time - and I think there's more to come."
O'Brien had further success as Dietrich (11 to 2) showed the best speed to lift the Group Three King George Stakes over five furlongs by three quarters of a length from 100 to 1 shot Afaan.
The winning team have an embarrassment of riches in the sprint division, with July Cup winner Mozart leading the team.
Fallon missed the ride on Broken Barricades in the closing Evening Standard Maiden Stakes after falling from the unplaced Proud Native when pulling up after the King George Stakes.
Although he had no specific injuries, Fallon was shaken up by the tumble and the doctor signed him off from riding again yesterday.
