Hoo Ya Mal has Newmarket trainer George Boughey dreaming of St Leger glory at Doncaster

George Boughey is confident that Hoo Ya Mal has a ‘live chance’ of landing him a second Classic of the season.

Boughey sent Cachet out to claim victory in the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas back in May, providing the Newmarket-based trainer with the biggest win on what is fast becoming an impressive CV.

And in Hoo Ya Mal he has a horse that is the 6/1 third favourite to triumph in Saturday’s Cazoo St Leger at Doncaster (3.30pm).

The Derby runner-up only arrived at Boughey’s Saffron House Stables base from Andrew Balding’s yard in July, and he will eventually head to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in Australia for a likely crack at the Melbourne Cup.

Having got to know the horse better with each passing week, Boughey is hopeful he can send the three-year-old Down Under on a winning note.

“As I’ve got to know him more my confidence in him has grown and grown,” he said.

“He’s not flashy and he doesn’t do a big amount of work but we’ve been asked by Gai and Adrian to get him to stay for two miles and that’s what we’ve been doing. He’s putting on weight each week and he’s looking really good.

“It was a dream phone call to be offered the horse that finished second in The Derby and it was a no-brainer to accept the challenge.

“We’ve got a lot of faith in him and I’m sure he’s going to have a live chance on Saturday.”

The weekend’s Group 1 contest will see Hoo Ya Mal renew his acquaintance with New London.

The pair last did battle in July’s Group 3 John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, where Charlie Appleby’s son of Dubawi triumphed while Boughey’s representative had to settle for third.

Hoo Ya Mal has since returned to the Sussex track to win the Group 3 William Hill March Stakes, and Boughey believes that has done wonders his for his confidence.

“When New London started the season I think there was a feeling New London was Charlie’s main Derby horse,” added Boughey,

“It didn’t work out that way in the end and that has worked out as a blessing in disguise.

“We’re hopeful Hoo Ya Mal can return to his Derby form and after what he produced at Goodwood that will have helped – confidence is such a big thing for horses.

“Ryan (Moore, jockey) dropped his stick two furlongs out when he faced New London and he felt with a bit more persuasion the gap between the two would have been closer.”

Boughey also has no concerns over the potential ground conditions at the Town Moor course.

After weeks of firm ground, rain is expected to fall each day until the weekend, which is likely to lead to a much softer surface.

“I’m not overly worried and he’s got to get used to it because in Australia it’s quite often soft,” said Boughey. “He dealt with some quite tacky ground the other day during a piece of work and he’s a good moving horse so we’ve got no worries on that front.”