Palmerstown House Estate Irish St Leger
Grade 1, Curragh 16:55 €350,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 6f, Class 1
Sunday 13th September 2015

1 Order Of St George 5/4F
2 Agent Murphy 6/1
3 Wicklow Brave 20/1
11 ran Distances: 11l, nk, ½l
TIME 3m 3.19s (slow by 6.19s)

Order Of St George, who skipped the English St Leger, turns the Irish St Leger in to a rout from Agent Murphy.

Sincere condolences to connections of Brown Panther who suffered a fatal injury in the race. He gave us all so much pleasure.

Order Of St George
© Caroline Norris

Order Of St George rewarded connections for being switched from Doncaster by running away with the Palmerstown House Estate Irish St Leger at the Curragh.

The Galileo colt was declared for both Classics but trainer Aidan O'Brien, who won a controversial renewal of the Ladbrokes St Leger with Bondi Beach, withdrew Order Of St George from the British version because of the prospect of more suitable ground in Ireland.

Joseph O'Brien was content to have Order Of St George at the rear of field as Good Tradition made the running in the early stages from last year's winner Brown Panther.

However, the latter was pulled up at around halfway mark, leaving Dermot Weld's Forgotten Rules, stablemate of Good Tradition, to track the leader.

Once in the straight, the race changed complexion and the well-backed Order Of St George (5-4 favourite) swept into the lead two furlongs out and sealed the issue in a matter of strides.

Agent Murphy
© Racehorse Photos

He went on to win unchallenged by 11 lengths from the Brian Meehan-trained Agent Murphy, with Willie Mullins' Wicklow Brave third.

Brown Panther
© Caroline Norris

Former England star Michael Owen described the fatal injury suffered by Brown Panther as "the saddest day of my life".

The Tom Dascombe-trained seven-year-old, who was bred and part-owned by Owen, was bidding to repeat his victory of 12 months ago in the Classic on what was his first run since finishing second at Chester in May.

All seemed to be going to plan as he sat in second tracking the pace, but he was suddenly pulled up by jockey Richard Kingscote at around the halfway point, with it later emerging he had suffered a broken hind leg.

Writing on his Twitter page, Owen said: "It's the saddest day of my life. The toughest, most honest, brilliant horse I will ever set eyes on passed away today doing the thing he loved the most."

Palmerstown House Estate Irish St. Leger
€350,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 6f
11 ran
Going: Good