Betfred St Leger
Group 1, Doncaster 15:40
£700,000 guaranteed,
3yo only,
1m 6f 115y, Class 1   
Saturday 13th September 2025

1 Scandinavia 2/1F
2 Rahiebb 14/1
3 Stay True 11/2
7 ran Distances: nk, 1¼l, 1½l
Time: 3m 4.63s (fast by 0.87s)

Scandinavia clung on by the narrowest of margins, repelling a dazzling late lunge from Rahiebb to seize victrory in a finish that will live long in the memory.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge, under Tom Marquand, had to summon every ounce of grit: first edging past his dual Derby-winning stablemate Lambourn, then fending off Stay True out wide, before—just when Marquand looked to have Town Moor Classic glory safely banked—Ray Dawson launched Rahiebb up the inner with a barnstorming drive. At the post, the 2-1 favourite Scandinavia held by only a neck over Roger Varian’s gallant runner.

For Marquand, deputising with Ryan Moore injured and Wayne Lordan suspended, this marked a second Leger triumph after Joseph O’Brien’s Galileo Chrome in 2020. The rider beamed: “He’s got the most beautiful temperament.

“Aidan, Ryan and Wayne, everything that was reiterated to me was that he is just so straightforward. He’s so tough. It’s so lovely to be aboard today.

“He was tough today, he had to battle off Paddy’s (Twomey, Carmers) horse first and then obviously Stay True as well and then late on I was a little bit worried – it’s a long way up the straight on that ground when you’ve been trying to fend off good horses.

“He stays extremely well, as he showed at Goodwood, but I thought today was a real show of his tenacity on that ground.

“It was a good performance. He’s a beautiful mover and it’s probably fair to say he’s still got that little edge of innocence, not immaturity, innocence is probably right and it’s special to be aboard today.”

O’Brien had split his Doncaster mounts between Marquand, Sean Levey and Mickael Barzalona, and Marquand revealed he would have gladly taken any Ballydoyle leg-up—but fate had already intertwined him with Scandinavia. “I’ll be be honest, I’d have been happy on any of the three – any ride in a Classic is big. I rode him as a two-year-old at Newmarket and really liked him, it was one of those when sometimes the stars align when I rode him that day.

“I didn’t think I’d be winning the Leger on him, but it’s nice to ride these horses early when they’re progressing into staying types as they just take their time to get there.”

Primarily linked with William Haggas’ yard—whose leading lights Merchant and Economics have had luckless campaigns—Marquand savoured the moment: “It’s unbelievable (to win the Leger). It’s been a good year, but just those top horses have had misfortune at William’s – just niggly little problems.

“Riding Group One winners is what you want to do and riding Classic winners is even harder again, it’s special and it’s where we all want to be, but it’s really where I want to be, so I’m feeling pretty blessed.”

O’Brien, speaking from Leopardstown as the Irish Champions Festival got under way, was equally effusive: “I’m delighted. He’s hardy and Tom gave him a great ride.

“He stays very well, obviously, we were a little bit worried when the ground went on the slower side, but I’m over the moon really. He’s a lovely horse.

“He’s going to stay well. He’s a typical Justify, he’s very genuine, a big stride – the better the ground, the better you’ll see him. There’s plenty to come from him.

“He’d probably have no problem coming back to a mile and a half, he’s loads of gears. Every week he is getting better.”

And looking further afield, O’Brien hinted that, like last year’s St Leger winner Jan Brueghel, Scandinavia could be aimed at the Melbourne Cup: “You might (see him again this year). He’s in the Melbourne Cup, so it is a possibility. I think he has to go get scanned and see whether he’s eligible to go or not, then we’ll see. There’s a good chance the lads might want to go down there with him.”

FormRatings

Betfred St Leger Stakes
£700,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 1m 6f 115y, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Soft

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 (7)    Scandinavia 3 9-3 A P O'Brien Tom Marquand 2/1F
2 (2) nk Rahiebb 3 9-3 Roger Varian Ray Dawson 14/1
3 (3) 1¼ Stay True 3 9-3 A P O'Brien Mickael Barzalona11/2
4 (1) 1½ Lambourn 3 9-3 A P O'Brien Sean Levey 11/4
5 (4) hd Carmers 3 9-3 P Twomey W J Lee 4/1
6 (6) 1¼ Furthur 3 9-3 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 18/1
7 (5) 3¼ Tarriance 3 9-3 Andrew Balding Colin Keane 22/1

ST LEGER ROLL OF HONOUR (1946- )
Year Horse Trainer Jockey Owner SP Ran

2024 JAN BRUEGHEL
2023 CONTINUOUS
2022 ELDAR ELDAROV
2021 HURRICANE LANE
2020 GALILEO CHROME
2019 LOGICIAN
2018 KEW GARDENS
2017 CAPRI
2016 HARBOUR LAW Mrs LJ Mongan George Baker Mrs Jackie Cornwell 22/1 8
2015 SIMPLE VERSE Ralph Beckett Andrea Atzeni QRL/Sheikh Suhaim Al Thani/M Al Kubaisi 8/1 7
2014 KINGSTON HILL Roger Varian Andrea Atzeni Paul Smith 9/4F 12
2013 LEADING LIGHT Aidan O’Brien Joseph O’Brien Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor 7/2F 11
2012 ENCKE Mahmood Al Zarooni Mickael Barzalona Godolphin 25/1 9
2011 MASKED MARVEL John Gosden William Buick Bjorn Nielsen 15/2 9
2010 ARCTIC COSMOS John Gosden William Buick Rachel Hood & Robin Geffen 12/1 10
2009 MASTERY Saeed bin Suroor Ted Durcan Godolphin 14/1 8
2008 CONDUIT Sir Michael Stoute Frankie Dettori Ballymacoll Stud 8/1 14
2007 LUCARNO John Gosden Jimmy Fortune George Strawbridge 7/2 10
2006** SIXTIES ICON Jeremy Noseda Frankie Dettori Susan Roy 11/8F 11
2005 SCORPION Aidan O’Brien IRE Frankie Dettori Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor 10/11F 6
2004 RULE OF LAW Saeed bin Suroor Kerrin McEvoy Godolphin 3/1JF 9
2003 BRIAN BORU Aidan O’Brien IRE Jamie Spencer Sue Magnier 5/4F 12
2002 BOLLIN ERIC Tim Easterby Kevin Darley Sir Neil & Lady Westbrook 7/1 8
2001 MILAN Aidan O’Brien IRE Michael Kinane Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier 13/8F 10
2000 MILLENARY John Dunlop Richard Quinn Neil Jones 11/4F 11
1999 MUTAFAWEQ Saeed bin Suroor Richard Hills Godolphin 11/2 9
1998 NEDAWI Saeed bin Suroor John Reid Godolphin 5/2F 9
1997 SILVER PATRIARCH John Dunlop Pat Eddery Peter Winfield 5/4F 10
1996 SHANTOU John Gosden Frankie Dettori Sheikh Mohammed 8/1 11
1995 CLASSIC CLICHE Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori Godolphin 100/30F 10
1994 MOONAX Barry Hills Pat Eddery Sheikh Mohammed 40/1 8
1993 BOB'S RETURN Mark Tompkins Philip Robinson Jackie Smith 3/1F 9
1992 USER FRIENDLY Clive Brittain George Duffield Bill Gredley 7/4F 7
1991 TOULON Andre Fabre FR Pat Eddery Khalid Abdullah 5/2F 10
1990 SNURGE Paul Cole Richard Quinn Martyn Arbib 7/2 8
1989* MICHELOZZO Henry Cecil Steve Cauthen Charles St George 6/4F 8
1988 MINSTER SON Neil Graham Willie Carson Lady Beaverbrook 15/2 6
1987 REFERENCE POINT Henry Cecil Steve Cauthen Louis Freedman 4/11F 7
1986 MOON MADNESS John Dunlop Pat Eddery Duchess of Norfolk 9/2 8
1985 OH SO SHARP Henry Cecil Steve Cauthen Sheikh Mohammed 8/11F 6
1984 COMMANCHE RUN Luca Cumani Lester Piggott Ivan Allan 7/4F 11
1983 SUN PRINCESS Dick Hern Willie Carson Sir Michael Sobell 11/8F 10
1982 TOUCHING WOOD Tom Jones Paul Cook Maktoum Al Maktoum 7/1 15
1981 CUT ABOVE Dick Hern Joe Mercer Sir John Astor 28/1 7
1980 LIGHT CAVALRY Henry Cecil Joe Mercer Jim Joel 3/1 7
1979 SON OF LOVE Robert Collet FR Alain Lequeux A Rolland 20/1 17
1978 JULIO MARINER Clive Brittain Edward Hide Marcos Lemos 28/1 14
1977 DUNFERMLINE Dick Hern Willie Carson The Queen 10/1 13
1976 CROW Angel Penna FR Yves Saint-Martin Daniel Wildenstein 6/1CF 15
1975 BRUNI Ryan Price Tony Murray Charles St George 9/1 12
1974 BUSTINO Dick Hern Joe Mercer Lady Beaverbrook 11/10F 10
1973 PELEID Bill Elsey Frankie Durr Bill Behrens 28/1 13
1972 BOUCHER Vincent O'Brien IRE Lester Piggott Ogden Phipps 3/1 7
1971 ATHENS WOOD Tom Jones Lester Piggott Mrs John Rogerson 5/2 8
1970 NIJINSKY Vincent O'Brien IRE Lester Piggott Charles Engelhard 2/7F 9
1969 INTERMEZZO Harry Wragg Ron Hutchinson Gerry Oldham 7/1 11
1968 RIBERO Fulke Johnson Houghton Lester Piggott Charles Engelhard 100/30 8
1967 RIBOCCO Fulke Johnson Houghton Lester Piggott Charles Engelhard 7/2 9
1966 SODIUM George Todd Frankie Durr R J Sigita 7/1 9
1965 PROVOKE Dick Hern Joe Mercer John Astor 28/1 11
1964 INDIANA Jack Watts Jimmy Lindley Charles Engelhard 100/7 15
1963 RAGUSA Paddy Prendergast IRE Garnet Bougoure Jim Mullion 2/5F 7
1962 HETHERSETT Dick Hern Harry Carr Major Lionel Holliday 100/8 15
1961 AURELIUS Noel Murless Lester Piggott Mrs V Lilley 9/2 13
1960 ST PADDY Noel Murless Lester Piggott Sir Victor Sassoon 4/6F 9
1959 CANTELO Charles Elsey Edward Hide William Hill 100/7 11
1958 ALCIDE Cecil Boyd-Rochfort Harry Carr Sir Humphrey de Trafford 4/9F 8
1957 BALLYMOSS Vincent O’Brien IRE T P Burns Jock McShain 8/1 16
1956 CAMBREMER George Bridgland FR Freddie Palmer R B Strassburger 8/1 13
1955 MELD Cecil Boyd-Rochfort Harry Carr Lady Zia Wernher 10/11F 8
1954 NEVER SAY DIE Joe Lawson Charlie Smirke Robert Sterling Clark 100/30 16
1953 PREMONITION Cecil Boyd-Rochfort Eph Smith W P Wyatt 10/1 11
1952 TULYAR Marcus Marsh Charlie Smirke H H Aga Khan III 10/11F 12
1951 TALMA II Charles Semblat FR Rae Johnstone Marcel Boussac 7/1 18
1950 SCRATCH II Charles Semblat FR Rae Johnstone Marcel Boussac 9/2 15
1949 RIDGE WOOD Noel Murless Michael Beary G R H Smith 100/7 16
1948 BLACK TARQUIN Cecil Boyd-Rochfort Edgar Britt W Woodward 15/2 14
1947 SAYAJIRAO Fred Armstrong Edgar Britt Maharaja Of Baroda 9/2 11
1946 AIRBOURNE Dick Perryman Tommy Lowrey Jock Ferguson 3/1 11
* Run at Ayr
** Run at York