3 minute read

Aidan O’Brien will fire a three-pronged attack as he bids to claim an eighth Betfred St Leger Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday.

The master of Ballydoyle declared Illinois, Jan Brueghel and Grosvenor Square for the oldest and final Classic of the season on Saturday.

A general 13/8 chance, Illinois looks likely to be partnered by Wayne Lordan, with Ryan Moore in action onboard Auguste Rodin in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on the same afternoon. A winner over the St Leger trip in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot in June, he subsequently went on to fill the runner-up spot in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris before finding stablemate and Irish Derby hero Los Angeles too strong in the Great Voltigeur at York. 

The son of Galileo will be joined by the unbeaten Jan Brueghel, who battled on bravely to land the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, and winner Grosvenor Square, who advertised his Classic credentials with an all-the-way twenty-length demolition of the Irish St Leger Trial at the Curragh.

As expected, Los Angeles was not declared. Aidan O'Brien's Euphoric was also scratched at the final stage. 

Irish Oaks heroine You Got To Me, who was supplemented at a cost of £50,000 during the week, adds further spice to the final Classic of the season. The daughter of Nathaniel finished runner-up in the Yorkshire Oaks on her last outing and will be bidding to replicate Simple Verse's 2016 St Leger success for trainer Ralph Beckett as she goes beyond a mile and a half for the first time. 

Irish Derby second Sunway will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon for the first time, while Deira Mile, who finished fourth behind City Of Troy at Epsom, brings more Classic form to the table for Owen Burrows and owners Green Team Racing. Deira Mile was narrowly denied in Listed company at Windsor on his sole outing since. 

The Andrew Balding-trained Wild Waves completes the field of seven.