AIDAN O’Brien had trained five winners of the St Leger before last Saturday and, a little bizarrely, Kew Gardens emulated all five in different ways.

The 2001 winner Milan and the 2003 winner Brian Boru had, like Kew Gardens, both run in the Great Voltigeur Stakes on their last respective runs before their Leger victories. Milan won the Great Voltigeur, Brian Boru finished second in the race, Kew Gardens finished third.

The 2005 winner Scorpion had won the Grand Prix de Paris before he won the Leger. Kew Gardens won the Grand Prix de Paris this year. The 2013 Leger winner Leading Light won the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot over two miles before going on to Doncaster. Kew Gardens won the Queen’s Vase this year over the shorter distance of a mile and six furlongs. And the 2017 St Leger winner Capri ran in the Derby at Epsom, finishing unplaced at 16/1. Kew Gardens finished unplaced in the Derby this year at 16/1.

One difference between the sixth Aidan O’Brien-trained St Leger winner and the previous five is that the previous five had run five, four, five, three and four times in their respective three-year-old seasons before they went to Doncaster. Kew Gardens raced six times this season before Saturday. More times than any of his predecessors.

One other trait that all six have in common: Sadler’s Wells. Milan and Brian Boru are by Sadler’s Wells, while Scorpion and Leading Light are by Sadler’s Wells’ son Montjeu, and Capri and Kew Gardens are by Sadler’s Wells’ son Galileo.

Incidentally, Flag Of Honour’s win on Sunday took Galileo to 73 Group/Grade 1 winners. The same as the number that his sire Sadler’s Wells’ has.

Thought for the week

THE last filly to win the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes, the Group 2 Debutante Stakes and the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes was Maybe in 2011, and Maybe was sent off as the 13/8 favourite for the 1000 Guineas in 2012. Skitter Scatter has now gone up those same steps, Group 3, Group 2, Group 1, and Patrick Prendergast’s filly is available at 16/1 for the Guineas. She remains an underrated filly.