G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger

Australian Bloodstock's Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett) was the only Group 1 winner lining up for Sunday's G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger and as he crossed the line alone at The Curragh it certainly looked like it. Always cruising throughout the generously-paced 14-furlong test under a clinically-judged ride from Dylan Browne McMonagle, the 3-1 shot swamped the three-year-old Amiloc (Postponed) a furlong out before powering to a four-length success. "I was able to take my time and every time I asked him he was there," the rider said of...

The Curragh's Group 1 bonanza on day two of Irish Champions Weekend has attracted an aggregate 38 declarations after final fields for the track's four elite-level contests were confirmed Friday morning. Illinois (Galileo), with Christophe Soumillon booked to ride, is one of two Aidan O'Brien entries, the other being Queenstown (Galileo), and heads a field of nine in the G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger. The undefeated G2 King Edward VII Stakes victor Amiloc (Postponed) is one of three overseas nominees. Ballydoyle has three of the six runners, headed...

Trainer Aidan O'Brien indicated MG1SWs Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) would return in Leopardstown's G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S. on Sept. 9. The stablemates were last seen in the G1 King George and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot on July 29, where Luxembourg was a hard-fought fourth while the dual Derby winner came home a distant 10th. Their conditioner could find no obvious reason for the poor showing but remained hopeful the son of the late Deep Impact could bounce back at Leopardstown....

Underlining the strength of York's revamped Ebor H., the Kildare Racing Club's Sonnyboyliston (Ire) (Power {GB}) bounced out of his success in that prestigious affair to bring up a notable double in Sunday's G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger at The Curragh. With the dual winner Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) unable to make an impact this time, the Johnny Murtagh-trained 4-year-old had the Joseph O'Brien pair Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Baron Samedi (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) to contend with and proved toughest to carry...

Three-time group winner Baron Samedi (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire})'s long-term goal is the G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger, trainer Joseph O'Brien has revealed. A winner of the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris last fall, the 4-year-old gelding returned this spring with a smart win in the G3 Vintage Crop S. at Navan on Apr. 25 and added the GII Belmont Gold Cup S. Stateside on June 4. In his latest run, he was fifth in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 4. "Baron Samedi has...