Al Riffa after winning the Irish St Leger

Aidan O’Brien’s Scandinavia, the sole Ballydoyle representative, the mount of Ryan Moore, beat Rahieeb in the St Leger last year and is the favourite for this. He’s gone the traditional route for Ballydoyle runners in preparation for this. He took the Vintage Crop at Navan and the Savel Beg at Leopardstown,

John and Thady Gosden’s Trawlerman looks to defend his crown. He’s set the standard since Kyprios’s departure from the division. There was a question mark about his participation; however, he is here to make his seasonal debut. He was an easy winner last year, having finished second to Kyprios the year before. He topped the stayers list last year, following up in the Lonsdale Cup Stakes at York and the Long Distance Cup at Ascot.

Roger Varian’s Rahiebb ran second to Scandinavia, beaten a neck, in the St Leger last year, and on comeback this year, won the Yorkshire Cup Stakes in easy style.

Joseph O’Brien’s Al Riffa won the Irish St Leger last year and then went travelling. The Melbourne Cup, Hong Kong Vase, Dubai Gold Cup and Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, all Group 1’s, the latter was his best run when third, beaten a ¼L.

George Scott’s Caballo De Mar was the winner of the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, building on good seconds this year in the Dubai Gold Cup and Sagaro Stakes. He took the Prix du Cadran over this trip last year in Paris.

Sweet William was second to Trawlerman in the Lonsdale Cup Stakes and in the Long Distance Cup. He beat Caballo De Mar in the Sagaro and then ran second to Dubai Future in the Henry II Stakes.

Cambers won the Queen’s Vase at the meeting last year. He failed to build on that when second in the Great Voltigeur Stakes and was well behind Scandinavia in the St Leger. He disappointed in the Vintage Crop Stakes behind Scandinavia but looked much better taking His Majesty’s Plate last time out.

Dubai Future, Furthur, Al Nayyir and Miss Alpilles are unlikely winners given their level of form.

Conclusion

This is a staying race, a marathon over 2m4f; this and the Prix du Candan, held in Lonchamp on Arc weekend, are the longest Group 1’s in the world.

This takes getting.

Trawlerman, Sweet William, and Caballo de Mar are all proven over the trip, true stayers. The rest, we just don’t know until they try this extreme distance.

Some will, some won’t.

Scandinavia. Al Riffa, Carmers and Rahiebb all show promise, and they could be around in the last 2f.

The others look like they’ll be stretched at the top level.

It will be some training feat if Trawlerman wins on his seasonal debut. Scandinavia won at Leopardstown but was less than impressive in the Savel Beg; he could have been just kidding us. Rahiebb won well last time out, as did Carmers. Sweet William deserves it, but that doesn’t win it, and Caballo de Mar looks like he’s not far off being the new kid on the stayers block. Al Riffa looked like he’d get him in Paris; he had too much to do, just. He’s a new kid in the stayers gang, too; however, he’s been around the block in the last year, meeting some very nice horses. That might just stand to him here. If he stays, he’s got a serious chance of getting in the money.

Recommendation

Al Riffa 10/1 ew