Emphatic Second Irish Leger Victory For Galileo's Order Of St George

Order Of St George well clear in the Irish St Leger | Racing Post

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He was 2-5 favourite here, but the manner of his victory suggested that last year's odds of 1-7 were more appropriate as Order of St George put his shock defeat in the 2016 edition firmly behind him on the testing ground that suits so well. Since his agonising defeat by Big Orange (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) when attempting to record back-to-back victories in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot June 22, Ryan Moore has made a point of enlivening him earlier in his races and it seems to be paying dividends as he becomes more sensible with age and experience. His powerhouse performance as a 3-year-old in this race two years ago had all the hallmarks of youthful vigour, but even his first Gold Cup win was marked by a more sleepy attitude and it may have been complacency that led to his downfall at the hands of Wicklow Brave (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) here 12 months ago.

Partnered by Frankie Dettori in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on his next start, Order of St George ran a remarkable race to enter the category of stayers like Ardross (Ire) who have made an impact in that autumn showcase, but again he had to be worked on from the outset en route to filling the third spot of an amazing Ballydoyle trifecta. Whether he was feeling the effects of that effort when subsequently fourth in the G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup 13 days later is a mute point, as he again stayed on strongly all too late and his seasonal return was a similar story as he managed only second to Torcedor in the G3 Vintage Crop S. over this trip at Navan Apr. 23. Needing another outing to straighten him for the Royal meeting, he won Leopardstown's Listed Saval Beg S. again at this distance May 26 but a combination of faster-than-ideal ground, having too much to do and a rock-hard and classy opponent proved just too much in the Gold Cup.

In the course-and-distance G3 Irish St Leger Trial S. last time Aug. 19, Moore had got after him much earlier and he duly responded to dish out a comprehensive 4 3/4-length beating to the 3-year-old G3 Ballysax S. and G2 Curragh Cup winner Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) to signal his return to prominence in this sphere. Robbed of a rematch with Big Orange, he blew the start before being shoved into a mid-division pitch where he travelled kindly before being sent to the front with over three furlongs remaining. Tending to lug right as he has on other occasions, including in the last two Gold Cups, he ended up on the far rail as he galloped relentlessly clear as Torcedor led home the 3-year-old Mount Moriah, who gave the G3 Gordon S. winner and TDN Rising Star Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) a boost ahead of Saturday's St Leger tilt. “He's a brilliant horse,” Ryan Moore said. “He has an awful lot of ability and was able to express that today.”

Aidan O'Brien revealed that Order of St George could be heading back to Chantilly for the Oct. 1 feature. “He's an unbelievable horse. He has class; you saw what he did in the Arc last year, he handles all grounds and he can stay as far as two and a half miles,” he said. “He has the choice of returning for the Arc this year or going to the Melbourne Cup. We'll think about that and the lads will decide. I suppose the Arc might be the favoured option, but we'll see. He'd be very comfortable over a mile and a half if there is an ease in the ground at Chantilly. He went there strong today. Ryan let him relax. He moved him up a little bit and he locked on to him. He just said he kicked into gear and he didn't want to disappoint him then.”

Order of St George is one of four stakes winners for his dam Another Storm, with two others in Angel Terrace and Asperity capturing the GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. and G3 Prix Paul de Moussac respectively. The second dam is the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and GI Frizette S.-winning champion 2-year-old filly Storm Song, who is a half to the GII Oak Leaf S. winner Diamond Omi (Giant's Causeway). Storm Song's descendants include the G2 Sankei Sports Sho Flora S. scorer Midsummer Fair (Jpn) (Tanino Gimlet {Jpn}) and the Singapore champion Better Life (Aus) (Smarty Jones), while the dynasty also features the GIII Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup S.-winning sire High Cotton and the G3 Musidora S. scorer Cassis (Red Ransom). Another Storm has an as-yet unraced 2-year-old colt Shakour (Ire) (Declaration of War) who sold for 250,000gns at Tattersalls October and a yearling colt by Australia (GB).

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland

COMER GROUP INTERNATIONAL IRISH ST LEGER-G1, €500,000, CUR, 9-10, 3yo/up, 14fT, 3:07.82, sf.

1–ORDER OF ST GEORGE (IRE), 136, h, 5, by Galileo (Ire)

1st Dam: Another Storm, by Gone West

2nd Dam: Storm Song, by Summer Squall

3rd Dam: Hum Along, by Fappiano

($550,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Lloyd J Williams; B-Paget Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €285,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 14f+, Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 14f+, G1SW-Ire & Eng, G1SP-Fr, 20-10-6-1, $2,023,421. *1/2 to Asperity (War Chant), GSW-Fr & GSP-Eng, $245,483; Angel Terrace (Ghostzapper), GSW-US, $298,848; and Sehoy (Menifee), SW-Swe, $144,199. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”blandfordstud-forpagetbloodstock”][bullet ad=”irt-shell”]2–Torcedor (Ire), 136, g, 5, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Magnolia Lane (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (€70,000 Ylg '13 ARAUG). O-Te Akau Torcedor (Manager: David Ellis); B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-J Harrington. €100,000.

3–Mount Moriah (GB), 127, g, 3, Mount Nelson (GB)–Rule Britannia (GB), by Night Shift. (20,000gns Wlg '14 TATFOA; €30,000 Ylg '15 BBAGS). O-Norman Brunskill; B-Lady Bland & Newsells Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Ralph Beckett. €50,000.[bullet ad=”alex-elliott-bloodstock-yearlingpurchase”]Margins: 9, 4HF, 3/4. Odds: 0.40, 14.00, 14.00.

Also Ran: Wicklow Brave (GB), Lord Yeats (GB), Twilight Payment (Ire), The Tartan Spartan (Ire), Dartmouth (GB), Benkei (Ire), Western Hymn (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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