Roger Varian looking to next year with Leger second Rahiebb

While Roger Varian was “proud, but gutted” having gone so close to claiming a third Betfred St Leger with Rahiebb, he consoled himself with the prospect of better to come next year from his colt.

The son of Frankel did not make his debut until March at Newcastle when winning over a mile as an unfancied 13-2 chance and not many at Gosforth Park that night would have predicted he would go on to be beaten just a neck in a Classic.

By Royal Ascot in June, Rahiebb showed what he was made of in finishing just a length by Carmers in the Queen’s Vase, and he turned that form around on Town Moor.

Before the race began Varian and jockey Ray Dawson had a bit of a scare with Rahiebb getting his head stuck in the stall next door but after a worrying few seconds, he was good to go.

During the race it looked like he would play little part in the finish as the Aidan O’Brien trio of eventual winner Scandinavia, dual Derby winner Lambourn and Stay True battled it out. But when Dawson switched him to the inside, Rahiebb took off and it fleetingly looked like it would be a winning run.

However, Scandinavia and Tom Marquand pulled out just a little bit more to win by a neck.

“I’m proud and delighted with the horse, but gutted to be honest,” said Varian, who has previously won the Leger with Kingston Hill and Eldar Eldarov.

“Watching it, I thought most of the way round he was going to run well and finish strong.

“With a furlong to run I thought he’d get there, but congratulations to the winner, he’s a very good horse. I’m proud of ours and I think he’s got a big future.

“He took a while to come to hand and even in his very good run at Royal Ascot in the Vase, he did most things wrong that day. He was still learning on the job today.

“He’s a lovely horse. I have to give a shout out to (former jockey) Tony Procter who rides him out every day at home, he’s not always easy. He’s a lovely horse and I’m looking forward to him next year.

“I’d have thought that would be it for the year, he got going in February and didn’t race as a two-year-old, he’s all about next year.

“He ran great and I thought he was coming to win but he’s been beaten by a very good horse.”

Dawson was understandably downbeat at coming so close to his first Classic at the first attempt, but at the same time was proud of his mount.

He said: “It was a great run and we’re absolutely delighted with him.

“To get that close for a jockey is gutting, but he’s a lovely horse.”

Lambourn attempted to make all under last year’s winning rider Sean Levey but he wondered whether the dual Derby winner failed to see out the trip, beaten a total of three lengths in fourth.

Levey said: “He’s a straightforward horse, we know his running style, he’s behind the bit.

“He travelled sweetly today and we were in a lovely rhythm all the way down the back and I started to pick it up.

“Things were going well but Tom (Marquand) was always there, breathing down my neck and I didn’t feel like I went through the two pole as well as I’d like to.

“He just kind of stayed on so there’s a question mark over whether he actually stayed the trip or not.”

O’Brien was not at Doncaster, remaining in Ireland to saddle Delacroix to win the Irish Champion Stakes, but he thought a busy summer may have caught up with Lambourn.

He said: “I think he will be better, but he still ran an OK race. He’s had a tough season.”

Of Stay True, who was having just his fourth career start, he added: “He’s going to improve, we thought he’s going to be better again but he ran a lovely race.”