By Daithi Harvey
Having entered last Saturday's G1 William Hill St Leger S. on the back of a four race winning streak Roger Varian was unsurprisingly very disappointed with the performance of Defoe (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) who trailed in tenth of the eleven runners behind Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). “We were very disappointed, but I don't think he gave his true running,” Varian said of the Sheikh Mohammed Obaid owned colt. “He has come back sound, but we will run a number of tests on him because I am convinced something is amiss.” Defoe worked his way up through the handicap ranks winning at Newbury and York earlier in the summer before graduating successfully to stakes company, posting wins in a listed race at Hamilton and the G3 Geoffrey Freer S. at Newbury. He was a well supported 6/1 shot at Doncaster but faded quickly from the quarter pole, however Varian is confident he can show his full potential next season as a 4-year-old. “He won't run again this season and he will have a good winter break now. He still remains a very exciting prospect for next year,” he added.
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