Trainer William Muir says Pyledriver is set to wrap up a memorable season with a run in the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot in October.
The three-year-old first garnered some attention when winning on debut at 50/1 last year and has built on that success this term with two more double-figure price victories.
He landed June’s King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot before capturing the Great Voltigeur at York in August and was in a strong position to achieve Classic glory heading into the closing stages of Saturday’s St Leger at Doncaster.
However, the son of Harbour Watch ended up racing on the far side of the Town Moor track as he eventually had to settle for third with the Joseph O’Brien-trained Galileo Chrome landing the top prize.
Muir says Pyledriver has emerged unscathed from the run, playing down the suggestion he struggled to stay the 1m 6f 115y trip, his first attempt at the distance.
The Hungerford handler also confirmed that he should make the finale of the British Flat racing season, British Champions Day, at Ascot on October 17.
“I don’t want to be dogmatic and say he didn’t stay. He didn’t stay quite as well as the first two, but I felt he was closing again at the line and at the end of the day he’s been beaten a length and a neck,” Muir told Racing TV.
“He couldn’t quite go through the gears like he did at York. It didn’t help that he got a bump and ended up out on a wing on his own, but that’s racing.
“The Champion Stakes was the plan and I don’t see any reason to change it.
“I think he’ll be fine back at a mile and a quarter and if it did come up heavy ground, he’d handle that and it would mean you’d nearly need to stay a mile and a half well to win, which he obviously does.
“He is still a bit weak, which I’ve been telling everyone all year. He’ll be some horse next year, I promise you.”
