Dubai: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, has amassed a dozen British Classics over the past two and a half decades, yet there is one that is conspicuously absent from his crowded trophy cabinet — the English St. Leger.

Worth a record 700,000 pounds, the Group 1 contest is the oldest of Britain’s five Classics and the final leg of the Triple Crown that includes the 2,000 Guineas (Group 1) and Epsom Derby (Group 1). It is also the culmination of the the Fillies’ Triple Crown, following on from the 1,000 Guineas (Group 1) and the Epsom Oaks (Group1).

However, Shaikh Hamdan would appear to have a genuine chance of ending his wait should the progressive Muntahaa take his place in the starting line-up at Doncaster Racecourse in England on Saturday, September 10.

Trained by the great John Gosden, who has sent out three horses to win the Classic in Lucarno, Arctic Cosmos and Masked Marvel, Muntahaa has elbowed his way into the Leger picture following a hard-earned victory in the Listed Chester Stakes at Chester, the oldest racecourse still in use in England.

In his previous start at Royal Ascot in June, Muntahaa was a fast-finishing third behind Across The Stars and Beacon Rock in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes.

A son of Dansili, he is currently a 10/1 second favourite for the 2,800 metres contest behind Great Voltigeur Stakes scorer Idaho who is a short-priced 11/10 favourite following last week’s impressive win at York.

Following his Chester victory, Angus Gold, racing manager to Shaikh Hamdan said at Chester: “I like the application, and he’s a horse who is very much going the right way. It’s an obvious step for a horse like him and I hope he will be there, although I haven’t spoken to Shaikh Hamdan yet.

“He’s a horse who has improved and improved, mentally as much as physically, throughout the year. He was a bit of a hooligan early on, but he’s settled down well now and had to tough it out at Chester, which was good.

“I suppose if you were to think he had a real chance in the St Leger you would have liked him to have gone on and won by four lengths, which he didn’t. But I gather Graham Lee said the shock of the noise of the crowd rather took his concentration away.”

The St Leger is the feature race of a four-day Festival that combined Group-race action with several interesting handicaps.

Fillies take centre stage on day two in the 2,000m Park Hill Stakes (Group 2) and the 1,400m Sceptre Stakes (Group 3)

The feature event on Friday’s card is the 250th running of the 3,600m Doncaster Cup (Group 2) with the 1,000m Flying Childers Stakes (Group 2) and the 1,600m May Hill Stakes (Group 2) adding to a glittering card.

The St. Leger was first run in 1776.