Order of St George initiated an unbeaten roll when bagging last year's Listed Her Majesty's Plate at Down Royal and, with tallies in this event and the following month's G1 Irish St Leger over course and distance, he opened this term with victory in the June 3 Listed Saval Beg S. at Leopardstown. Remaining on course to defend his title in next month's renewal of the Irish St Leger, he returned with a bang coming off a masterclass win in Royal Ascot's June 16 G1 Gold Cup and justified prohibitive 2-11 odds in this perfect preparation for that Classic. Adopting his usual observatory position off the pace in fourth for the most part, he glided into contention racing hard on the steel approaching the final quarter mile and was pushed out to easily account for Twilight Payment, with the pair clear of the remainder. “He probably needed the run after a little break and will improve a lot for that,” explained Donnacha O'Brien, adding, “He is a very good horse and we tried to give him as easy a day as possible.” The jockey's father Aidan continued, “He was just ready to start back so I was a bit worried, but he settled lovely and you'd have to be delighted. He'll come back here [for the Sept. 11 G1 Irish St Leger] and we'll take it one step at a time with him.”
Order of St George is a half to GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. winner Angel Terrace (Ghostzapper) and G3 Prix Paul de Moussac scorer Asperity (War Chant). He is also kin to the 2-year-old filly Arwa (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who graduated in a Ripon maiden earlier this week, a yearling colt by Declaration of War and a colt foal by Australia (GB). His second dam, the champion 2-year-old filly Storm Song, whose conquests included the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, is a half to the GII Oak Leaf S. winner Diamond Omi (Giant's Causeway), from the extended family of GIII Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup-winning sire High Cotton.
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
PALMERSTOWN HOUSE ESTATE IRISH ST LEGER TRIAL S.-G3, €63,000, CUR, 8-20, 3yo/up, 14fT, 3:09.20, gd.
1–ORDER OF ST GEORGE (IRE), 140, c, 4, 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-Lloyd J Williams, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Paget Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Donnacha O'Brien. €37,200. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 14f+, G1SW-Eng & Ire, 12-7-3-0, $730,724. *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.[bullet ad=”blandfordstud-forpagetbloodstock”]2–Twilight Payment (Ire), 123, c, 3, Teofilo (Ire)–Dream On Buddy (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). O-Godolphin; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €12,600.
3–Arya Tara (Ire), 120, f, 3, Dylan Thomas (Ire)–Anadiyla (Ire), by Barathea (Ire). O-Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €6,300.
Margins: 1HF, 9, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.15, 6.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Benkei (Ire), Charming Kitten.
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