Comer Group International Irish St Leger
Grade 1, Curragh 16:25
€500,000 guaranteed,
3yo plus,
1m 6f, Class 1  
Sunday 14th September 2025

Connections of Al Qareem have their sights firmly set on the Irish St Leger as the progressive six-year-old continues to thrive, following another authoritative front-running success at York.

Trained by Karl Burke and carrying the familiar colours of Nick Bradley Racing, Al Qareem brought up his 11th career win with an emphatic display in the Group 3 Silver Cup, making all on the Knavesmire to notch his third victory from his last four outings.

“He’s just a brilliant horse to own,” said syndicate manager Nick Bradley to Sky Sports Racing. “We’ve had him a few seasons now and with each campaign we understand him a bit more. Cliff [Lee] has learned to judge him just right, and it’s really come together in his last couple of runs at York.”

A horse who’s forged a reputation for sticking to his task with trademark grit, Al Qareem once again showed his battling qualities in Saturday’s win. “He does tend to hit a flat spot, they come to him—but then he digs deep. He won with a fair bit up his sleeve, I’d say,” Bradley added.

The Irish St Leger, set for September 14 at the Curragh, now shapes as the major objective. Though yet to run at Group 1 level, the door has opened slightly wider following the recent retirement of staying heavyweight Kyprios.

“That’s changed the landscape a bit,” admitted Bradley. “Kyprios was an exceptional horse, and his absence gives us the chance to aim a little higher. Al Qareem’s put his hand up this year—especially on his last two starts—to show he deserves his shot.”

Before then, possible stepping stones include the Glorious Stakes at Goodwood and the Lonsdale Cup back at York, but all roads now appear to lead to Ireland. “If we skip one, it’ll likely be Goodwood. We’re really working back from the Irish Leger—that’s the race we think suits him best.”

Joseph O’Brien has his sights set on another top-level triumph with the ever-reliable Al Riffa, who looks all set to take aim at this following his recent dominant display in the Curragh Cup.

A four-time winner and already twice successful in Group One company, the Wootton Bassett colt has become something of a linchpin for the Owning Hill operation – durable, classy, and endlessly progressive.

Having chased home Rebel’s Romance in a Hardwicke Stakes that was run at full tilt at Royal Ascot, he went one better in last month’s mile-and-three-quarter test at the Curragh, turning on the style late and underlining his credentials for a return over the same course and distance.

“He’ll most likely head straight for the Irish Leger – that’s the plan,” O’Brien confirmed. “It would be brilliant to land another Group One with him this year. We’ve got one eye on international targets later in the year, but if we could knock off a big European prize before then, that would be ideal.”

The Irish St. Leger – one of the headline acts on day two of the Irish Champions Festival – remains a race Joseph is yet to conquer with a trainer’s license, though it’s one he knows well, having steered the mighty Order Of St George to victory in 2015 during his riding days for father Aidan. A decade on, he’s hoping Al Riffa can write the next chapter.

Comer Group International Irish St. Leger
€500,000 guaranteed, 3yo plus, 1m 6f
47 entries
Going:

NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY (form as of Aug 04)
1 415-32 Absurde 7 9-10 W P Mullins
2 -31211 Al Qareem 6 9-10 K R Burke
3 0-3421 Al Riffa 5 9-10 Joseph O'Brien
4 1-4635 Arabian Crown 4 9-10 Charlie Appleby
5 221-11 Ascending 6 9-10 Henry De Bromhead
6 111212 Caballo De Mar 4 9-10 George Scott
7 959485 Continuous 5 9-10 A P O'Brien
8 1111-4 Crystal Black 7 9-10 Gerard Keane
9 146234 Dallas Star 4 9-10 Adrian Murray
10 1-2253 Double Major 5 9-10 C Ferland
11 22-124 Dubai Honour 7 9-10 William Haggas
12 132320 Epic Poet 6 9-10 David O'Meara
13 1-1141 Flatten The Curve 6 9-10 Henk Grewe
14 15-574 Harbour Wind 5 9-10 D K Weld
15 47/5-4 Hipop De Loire 8 9-10 W P Mullins
16 21-122 Illinois 4 9-10 A P O'Brien
17 11-214 Jan Brueghel 4 9-10 A P O'Brien
18 13-144 Leinster 4 9-10 Joseph O'Brien
19 115-05 London City 4 9-10 A P O'Brien
20 141/1 Majestic Warrior 5 9-10 James Tate
21 1-2727 Military Academy 4 9-10 John & Thady Gosden
22 2547-4 Mondo Man 4 9-10 Gary & Josh Moore
23 200-66 Queenstown 5 9-10 A P O'Brien
24 5451-1 Sober 6 9-10 W P Mullins
25 5-2263 Tabletalk 4 9-10 Tom Clover
26 -83311 Trustyourinstinct 5 9-10 Joseph O'Brien
27 2/11-7 Uxmal 6 9-10 Joseph O'Brien
28 8-2335 Waldadler 6 9-10 P Vovcenko
29 6221-4 Beechwood 5 9-7 P Twomey
30 7481-4 Elizabeth Jane 4 9-7 D K Weld
31 -22237 Enfranchise 7 9-7 W McCreery
32 /515-2 La Isla Mujeres 5 9-7 P Twomey
33 214135 Royal Entry 4 9-7 P Twomey
34 12132- Tiffany 5 9-7 Sir Mark Prescott Bt
35 11-111 Amiloc 3 9-2 Ralph Beckett
36 111 Carmers 3 9-2 P Twomey
37 1-7137 Galveston 3 9-2 A P O'Brien
38 5-2111 Lambourn 3 9-2 A P O'Brien
39 3-1382 Nightime Dancer 3 9-2 Richard Hannon
40 14-419 Puppet Master 3 9-2 A P O'Brien
41 11-511 Rafale Design 3 9-2 Y Barberot
42 3- Saratoga 4 3 9-2 A P O'Brien
43 7-1511 Scandinavia 3 9-2 A P O'Brien
44 3-4482 Shackleton 3 9-2 A P O'Brien
45 12 Stay True 3 9-2 A P O'Brien
46 21-334 Tennessee Stud 3 9-2 Joseph O'Brien
47 21-111 Minnie Hauk 3 8-13 A P O'Brien