TRAINER Roger Varian has made a great success of things at Newmarket since taking over from the late Michael Jarvis but would probably admit that he made a miscalculation regarding plans for Kingston Hill.

With rain still in the air and plenty of ‘give’ underfoot, the right race for the Derby runner-up seemed to be the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury last Saturday. By-passing that, Varian waited for Wednesday’s Group 2 Neptune Investment Management Great Voltigeur Stakes but, after walking the course, decided the going was too firm and withdrew the St Leger favourite who will probably go straight to Doncaster.

In his absence, the impressive winner was Luca Cumani’s Postponed, who was sent off at 5/2 favourite and readily accounted for Snow Sky by just over two lengths with 40/1 shot Odeon all of eight lengths away in third.

Odeon made most of the running but Postponed, a son of Dubawi, was going best in the straight and took it up before the furlong pole, pulling clear in the closing stages.

His victory offered another pointer to Ebor favourite Pallasator because impressive Goodwood winner Double Bluff had previously finished runner-up to Postponed at Hamilton before filling the same position behind Saturday’s ante-post favourite at Ascot.

Postponed is highly progressive but was the only one in this week’s field without a St Leger entry and Cumani has no regrets about that.

“From the moment we put him over a longer trip he’s gradually come to himself but I don’t really want to run him over further,” he said. “I don’t want to run him in the St Leger because I think he is a true mile and a half horse, but obviously it’s up to the owner.” Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum would have to pay the supplementary fee to run at Doncaster and will probably be guided by the trainer. He exercised his claim on Andrea Atzeni’s services in the Voltigeur and things worked out well for the jockey, who is also associated with Kingston Hill and may well be available to ride him in the final classic if Cumani’s advice is heeded.

Sponsors Ladbrokes took the view that this week’s result worked in Kingston Hill’s favour and cut him to 4/1 from 5s.