Horse Racing

O’Brien trio head St Leger line-up at Doncaster

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Illinois won at Royal Ascot and has never been out of the first three in seven races [Getty Images]

Aidan O’Brien has three of the seven runners for the St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday.

The Irish trainer, seeking an eighth triumph in the world’s oldest Classic, will run Illinois, Jan Brueghel and Grosvenor Square.

Illinois won the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot before finishing second to Irish Derby winner Los Angeles in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.

Wayne Lordan takes the ride with O’Brien’s stable jockey Ryan Moore in action at Irish Champions Weekend.

Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me was added at a cost of £50,000 as a supplementary entry for the Leger – which offers £420,000 to the winner – by owners Valmont and Newsells Park Stud.

Trainer Ralph Beckett is not shy of running fillies against the colts in the Town Moor showpiece, winning it with Simple Verse, finishing second with Talent and third with Look Here.

Irish Derby runner-up Sunway, trained by David Menuisier, will be partnered by Christophe Soumillon as regular pilot Oisin Murphy is riding in Canada.

Owen Burrows’ Deira Mile, who was fourth in the Derby at Epsom, and Andrew Balding’s outsider Wild Waves complete the field for the race at 15:40 BST on Saturday.

O’Brien also has a leading hand in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, which is scheduled to start 15 minutes before the Leger.

His team is headed by Los Angeles and 2023 English and Irish Derby winner Auguste Rodin, who is seeking an eighth top-level Group One win.

But there is strong opposition in British raider Economics, winner at Deauville last time after landing York’s Dante Stakes under Tom Marquand for William Haggas.

Source : ESPN.com

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