Point Of Law states Leger case in Bahrain Trophy

Point Of Law moved a step closer to a tilt at the St Leger for the King and Queen with a battling victory in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket.

A Newbury maiden winner before finishing a never-nearer fourth in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, John and Thady Gosden’s Frankel colt was a 5-2 shot for a wide-open renewal of the July Festival’s Group Three curtain-raiser.

After tracking the pacesetting Nil Bua Gan Dua for much of the one-mile-five-furlong journey, Point Of Law was sent to the front by James Doyle heading inside the final two furlongs and he found plenty under pressure to see off the challenge of Galiyan by half a length.

“The Queen’s Vase starts a little too close to the bend, there was some scrimmaging and he was knocked back to last, which meant he had to circle the whole field. He ran very well to finish fourth from an impossible position,” said John Gosden.

“It’s not easy going from Royal Ascot to the July meeting. I and many others have found it too soon after a hard race at Ascot – quite often they bounce and don’t produce the same form.

“He’s shown a great attitude today and I liked the way he quickened and went about it, so I couldn’t be more thrilled with the horse.”

You have to go back to Dunfermline’s victory in the 1977 St Leger to find the last horse to win a British Classic in the royal colours and Point Of Law is 12-1 from 20-1 for the Doncaster showpiece with Paddy Power.

Gosden added: “He stayed on well at Ascot over a mile and six (furlongs) and I think the Leger should very much be in mind for him, but he’s one of those horses that likes summer ground and you don’t always get that in September.

“He’s in the Great Voltigeur at York and that’s a possibility. It’s a hot day and I’d like to get them home and see how they are – you wouldn’t be rushing anywhere too quickly.

“It’s wonderful to win the Bahrain Trophy. The Bahrain royal family are close to our own royal family, so it’s a rather fitting victory.”