THE world oldest classic, the Ladbrokes St Leger, will be run for the 240th time on Saturday, September 10th at Doncaster, has attracted 19 Irish-trained runners among the field of 42.
Boasting record total prize money of £700,000 (£650,000 last year), the Ladbrokes St Leger is the highlight of the four-day Ladbrokes St Leger Festival from Wednesday, September 7th to Saturday, September 10th on Town Moor.
Aidan O'Brien is seeking his fifth Ladbrokes St Leger success and has a total of 16 entries, the most of any trainer. The Ballydoyle contingent includes Investec Derby second US Army Ranger (12/1 with sponsors Ladbrokes) and Idaho (4/1 favourite with Ladbrokes), who was third in the Epsom classic before going on to fill the runner-up position in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.
Also among the Ballydoyle hopefuls is Sword Fighter (12/1), who has already proved his stamina by landing both the two-mile Listed Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot and the Group 2 Curragh Cup over a mile and three quarters. Bhutan (20/1), a Galileo colt who was impressive when beating stable companion Housesofparliament (16/1) by three lengths on his only start in a 10-furlong Leopardstown maiden on heavy ground in April, is another O'Brien-trained entry.
O'Brien captured an early trial for the Ladbrokes St Leger when Housesofparliament was successful in the 13-furlong Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket.
There could also be a first British classic runner for O'Brien's son Joseph, who is in his rookie season as a trainer. O'Brien junior, who won the Ladbrokes St Leger as a jockey on Leading Light in 2013, has entered recent 14-furlong Leopardstown listed scorer Arya Tara (20/1). The Dylan Thomas filly is owned by his mother Annemarie.
Another filly with an entry is dual classic-placed Harlequeen (33/1), trained by Mick Channon, who finished third in the Investec Oaks at Epsom and the Darley Irish Oaks last week.
Aidan O'Brien has also entered one his star fillies, Even Song (25/1), who was successful in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot before disappointing in seventh when the odds-on favourite for the Darley Irish Oaks.
Newmarket-based John Gosden has won the race four times. His pair of entries this year are Investec Derby fourth Wings Of Desire (12/1), who is set to contest the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 12 furlongs at Ascot on Saturday, and Muntahaa (12/1), third to Across The Stars (Sir Michael Stoute, 12/1) in the King Edward VII Stakes, also run at a mile and a half, at Royal Ascot.
Lambourn-based Harry Dunlop is considering the Ladbrokes St Leger for his stable star Robin Of Navan (25/1), who landed the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in 2015.
Dunlop's brother Ed also has a Ladbrokes St Leger entry - Red Verdon (12/1), who was last seen out when the excellent runner-up in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris at Saint-Cloud on July 14, a neck ahead of Cloth Of Stars.
Other eye-catching entries include Algometer (David Simcock, 16/1), successful in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood in May while Godolphin, successful in the Ladbrokes St Leger six times, has two entries this year with Prize Money (Saeed bin Suroor, 40/1) and Twilight Payment (33/1 Jim Bolger).
Ladbrokes bet: 4/1 Idaho; 12/1 Across The Stars, Muntahaa, Red Verdon, Sword Fighter, US Army Ranger, Wings Of Desire; 16/1 Algometer, Housesofparliament; 20/1 Arya Tara, Bhutan; 25/1 Even Song, Kellstorm, Robin Of Navan, Shalakar;
The Ladbrokes St Leger (Group 1), £700,000 total prize fund. Doncaster, 3.45pm Saturday, September 10, 1m 6f 132y.
Horse Age Owner Trainer
ACROSS THE STARS (IRE) 3 Sir Michael Stoute
ALGOMETER 3 David Simcock
ARYA TARA (IRE) 3 Joseph O'Brien IRE
BEST IN THE WORLD (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
BHUTAN (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
COLE PORTER (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
COOK ISLANDS (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
CORINTHIAN 3 Roger Varian
CRIMEAN TATAR (TUR) 3 Hugo Palmer
EARRING (USA) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
EMPEROR NAPOLEON 3 Andrew Balding
EVEN SONG (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
GOLDMEMBER 3 David Simcock
HARBOUR LAW 3 Laura Mongan
HARLEQUEEN 3 Mick Channon
HARRISON 3 Mick Channon
HOUSESOFPARLIAMENT (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
HUMPHREY BOGART (IRE) 3 Richard Hannon
IDAHO (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
IMPERIAL AVIATOR 3 Roger Charlton
KELLSTORM (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
KNIGHTS TABLE 3 James Tate
MARMELO 3 Hughie Morrison
MUNTAHAA (IRE) 3 John Gosden
NEZWAAH 3 Roger Varian
ORMITO (GER) 3 Andrew Balding
PRETTY PERFECT (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
PRIZE MONEY 3 Saeed bin Suroor
RED VERDON (USA) 3 Ed Dunlop
ROBIN OF NAVAN (FR) 3 Harry Dunlop
SHALAKAR (FR) 3 Mikel Delzangles FR
SOMEHOW (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
SWORD FIGHTER (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
THE MAJOR GENERAL (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
THE TARTAN SPARTAN (IRE) 3 Pat Shanahan IRE
TO BE WILD (IRE) 3 Hugo Palmer
TRIPLICATE (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) 3 Jim Bolger IRE
UNICORN (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
US ARMY RANGER (IRE) 3 Aidan O'Brien IRE
VENTURA STORM (IRE) 3 Richard Hannon
WINGS OF DESIRE 3 John Gosden