Aidan O’Brien will field a trio of contenders in the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday, with seven horses declared for the final Classic of the season.
Heading the Ballydoyle team is Royal Ascot winner Illinois, who later finished second to stablemate Los Angeles in the Great Voltigeur at York. Notably, Los Angeles has not been declared for Doncaster as expected.
In addition to Illinois, O’Brien is also sending out two other strong colts. Jan Brueghel, unbeaten in three starts including a victory in the Group Three Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, and Grosvenor Square, who made a significant impression with a 20-length win in the Irish St. Leger Trial after gradually improving this season.
David Menuisier’s Sunway, ridden by Christophe Soumillon, leads the opposition. Sunway was narrowly beaten by Los Angeles in the Irish Derby and performed credibly against older horses in the King George at Ascot. Oisin Murphy, who has regularly ridden Sunway, will be absent due to a commitment in Canada, so Soumillon steps in. Menuisier noted, "Oisin informed me last week that he had to go to Canada, which gave me the chance to find an alternative for this busy weekend. Fortunately, Christophe was available, and it’s excellent news. He’s ridden for me twice this year with both mounts winning at Clairefontaine and Dieppe."
Owen Burrows’ Deira Mile, who finished fourth in the Derby behind City Of Troy, is expected to appreciate the step-up in trip. The potential dark horse is Ralph Beckett’s filly, You Got To Me, who won the Irish Oaks at the Curragh and was supplemented after a valiant effort in the Yorkshire Oaks.
Completing the field is Andrew Balding’s Wild Waves.