Crisford wears Cap for St Leger value

Crisford: 'Secret Number is a nearly horse, he doesn't quite manage to win on the big occasion. I'd be surprised if he was good enough' (Getty Images)

Godolphin’s racing manager Simon Crisford has offered Cap O’Rushes as the best-value option of the trio bidding to land his team a sixth St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday.

The Gordon Stakes winner is more than twice the odds of Godolphin’s shortest-priced challenger, Libertarian, and also bigger than Secret Number.

Crisford poured some cold water on both Libertarian and Secret Number, who finished fifth in the Gordon before running a respectable third behind Telescope in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.

Libertarian, who won the Dante Stakes and was second in the Derby, now races for Charlie Appleby having left Karl Burke, but has not been sighted since trailing home second-last in the Irish Derby.

“Secret Number is a nearly horse, he doesn’t quite manage to win on the big occasion. I’d be surprised if he was good enough,” said Crisford (above).

“We bought Libertarian with this very much in mind and it has taken him a long time to get over that run. Karl said he never shows anything in his work and we’re sort of guessing. He’s got a lot to prove.

“Excess Knowledge is a short price and Cap O’Rushes is an unconsidered outsider. We beat him at Goodwood, although people will say Excess Knowledge was an unlucky loser. I’d say of our three, he’s the most interesting contender by some way – at the prices.”