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