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The indomitable Scandinavia sets a towering standard in Sunday's Comer Group International Irish St Leger at the Curragh on Sunday.
This is day two of the Irish Champions Festival and the card hosts four consecutive Group 1 races.
Scandinavia has won his last seven starts, four of those at the highest level: two Goodwood Cups, last year’s St Leger at Doncaster and his memorable defeat of Trawlerman in the Ascot Gold Cup.
Trustyourinstinct may provide notable opposition given his excellent record of four wins and five placed runs from nine Curragh starts. However, this will be his first start at the highest level.
Newmarket trainer William Haggas is preparing to send both Arabian Force and Dubai Honour, four times a Group 1 winner worldwide, to the Curragh for this Group 1.
Flying Five
Since the Bar 1 Betting Flying Five was upgraded to Group 1 status in 2018, the race has been won by eight different stables, four apiece between Ireland and Britain.
This year’s race has an open feel to it with Donnacha O’Brien’s Group 1 Darley July Cup hero Comanche Brave likely to attract plenty of attention.
Starlust, the supplemented Rumstar and Time For Sandals finished closest to the American speedball Bacio in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes last month. Group 1 winner Time For Sandals was extremely unlucky when fourth at York and she would have finished much closer with a clearer path.
Group 1 King Charles III Stakes winner at Royal Ascot, Mission Central is unbeaten in two starts at the Curragh for Aidan O’Brien.
Vincent O’Brien National Stakes
Dr Rascal sets a high standard in Sunday's Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes. This will be trainer Oliver Cole’s first visit to Ireland as a solely licensed trainer. The colt has overcome adversity in his unbeaten three-race record, including getting loose before his second start at Ascot and then being briefly trapped on the rail in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood last time. That form was boosted when the horse he beat, Haffner, dominated the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York for Ballydoyle and he reopposes on Sunday.
Aidan O’Brien is also likely to be represented in the race by Frankel colt Giant Sequoia, a Group 2 winner at the track last month.
Joseph O’Brien lifted this prize as a trainer in 2020 with Thunder Moon, 2022 via Al Riffa and 2024 with Scorthy Champ. To keep this trend going, he will rely on Folsom Blues, runner-up in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes most recently and in the Group 3 Tyros Stakes over seven furlongs in July.
Also trained by Joseph O’Brien is Monogram, supplemented for the race by owners Juddmonte. This colt did extremely well to win on debut at the Curragh despite missing the start.
Moyglare Stud Stakes
Sun Goddess is already a Group 1 winner at the Curragh having won the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes last month before her sensational performance from what briefly seemed an impossible position in the Harry’s Half Million by Goffs at York less than a fortnight later. This will be her first attempt beyond six furlongs.
Green Empress won the Group 2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at this course and distance last month for Joseph O’Brien when her stable companion Dancing Destiny was second and Alpha in third for Ballydoyle.
Trainer Robson de Aguiar identified this race as the target for Ballinea Star after she won the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh in June.
CEO of the Curragh Racecourse, Brian Kavanagh, said: “On Sunday the Curragh will stage four consecutive Group 1 races. Very few meetings in global racing can offer that concentration of quality, featuring some of the world’s most established names and the stars of the future in the juvenile Group 1 races.
"Having them as part of the World Pool offering is the perfect showcase to the biggest audience possible. We are thrilled with the fields being assembled and can’t wait to welcome everyone to what will be a brilliant day of sport.”
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