Moor Guides Authoritarian To St Leger Win

Daniel Moor starts an overseas stint in peak form after guiding Authoritarian to an all-the-way victory in the VRC St Leger at Flemington.

Moor heads to the warmer climate of Mauritius on Sunday to take up a contract for training newcomer Shirish Narang.

He has ridden previously with success in Malaysia and is looking forward to the new contract.

"He's got 35 horses in work and it's a good opportunity while the family is still young," Moor said.

Moor said Authoritarian had the makings of developing into a handy stayer after stepping up from maiden company.

After being tackled near the turn, Authoritarian ($6.50) kept running strongly to the line to score by 3-1/4 lengths from Cuban Fighter ($13) with Gifted Lad ($4.80) a long head away third.

"I was giggling to myself how easy I had it in front," Moor said.

Lee Freedman, who now trains in partnership with younger brother Anthony, has won many of the feature staying races at Flemington including five Melbourne Cups, but Authoritarian's win just his second in the St Leger, 25 years after Frontier Boy was successful.

"It's been a bit of a hard-luck race for me," he said.

Freedman said he felt Authoritarian was perfectly placed with the rise in distance and the wet track which was downgraded after the race.

He said he was pleased for Moor who had done a lot of the work on the up-and-coming stayer.

"He's done a lot of work for our stable and the inclination might have been to jock him off, but I thought no, he knows the horse and no one could have ridden him any better," Freedman said.

Freedman said it wasn't the intention to lead but when Authoritarian settled so well in front on the heavy ground he was confident of success.

Authoritarian could now head to the South Australian Derby at Morphettville on May 9 which may also be the path for the minor placegetters.