A race dominated in the early part of the 21st century by Vinnie Roe, it's a race that unlike the English equivalent is open to older horses. The winners since have been slightly less salubrious, but it is still a Group 1 with â‚¬285,000 to the winner. Our expert preview for the 2017 Irish St Leger is below.

Turned over at 1/7 in the 2016 edition of this race, it was a sub par performance from Order Of St George on that occasion. Given that he had looked so impressive when landing the Ascot Gold Cup just three months previously, he wasn't helped by the small field of just four on that occasion. A bigger field and a stronger gallop saw him to much better effect when chasing home stablemates Found and Highland Reel in the Arc at Chantilly. Whilst not his best trip, it showed his flexibility with regards to trip. He narrowly went under in the Ascot Gold Cup this season to a bold front running Big Orange, he is still the one to beat.

Wicklow Brave was the one to turn over Order Of St George last season, Frankie Dettori giving him a masterful ride, dictating the fractions from the front, just keeping enough in reserve to hold on. He is a tough horse to pass once he gets into a rhythm on the front end as the Punchestown Champion Hurdle found in April. Not the most consistent he has been known to spit the dummy, most notably in the Imperial Cup in 2015 before he won at the Cheltenham Festival. If he is on top of his game, he should give it another good go.

Another interesting potential representative for the Willie Mullins yard is Max Dynamite. Off the track for a long time since well beaten in the 2016 Ascot Gold Cup, he was backed off the boards on his return to the course in the Galway Hurdle. He ran like he was in need of the run there but shaped for a long way as if the ability was retained. Winner of the Lonsdale in 2015 before a trip ‘Down Under' to run a close second in the Melbourne Cup, he has the class to get involved if the recent reappearance over hurdles has blown away the cobwebs.

Sent off the 4/6 favourite for the English St Leger in 2016, Idaho ended up unseating Seamie Heffernan on that occasion. It was still too far out to know what the result would have been but he was certainly travelling well enough to think that he would have gone very close in a Classic. Winning the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot in June got him back on the right path, following that up with an excellent third in the King George to the super filly Enable. On both occasions he looked like the step back up to this trip would suit him, he's an interesting player if he is allowed to take his chance.

Torcedor would be interesting on his beating of Order Of St George in the Vintage Crop Stakes earlier in the season. This should be a small field which is going to be a help to him if he is able to dominate. He was unable to get to the front in the Ascot Gold Cup last time but still shaped well on ground that was on the quick side for him. The surface should have a little more give in it which Jessica Harrington's charge is going to enjoy. He shapes as if there should be a little more improvement to come from him, an each way player if the field cuts up.

It isn't easy to figure out who of the English contingent may be sent over to contest the race but a likely one on paper would be Dartmouth. He kicked off his campaign with a battling success in one of the races of the season so far in the Yorkshire Cup. He didn't back it up on very quick ground the next time when well behind Idaho in the Hardwicke, not the first time he has failed to show his best on very fast ground. The return to what should be a softer surface in Ireland would be in his favour and given the race has only had a small field the last few years, there should be a decent pot up for grabs for him.

 

Torcedor the each way value in Irish St Leger at the Curragh

Sunday 10th September, 2017 - 4:50pm Curragh - Irish St Leger

Wicklow Brave produced one of the shocks of the entire Flat season last year as the Willie Mullins-trained raider beat 1/7 favourite Order Of St George in the Irish St Leger and that pair will lock horns again on Sunday afternoon in the same Group 1 contest at the Curragh, and much like the betting was last year it's the latter, trained by Aidan O'Brien, that will be sent off a red-hot favourite for the final Classic of the Irish Flat campaign.

• Order Of St George (2015) & Wicklow Brave (2016) have won this race before


• Wicklow Brave beat 1/7 favourite Order Of St George in this race last season


• Order Of St George is the only last-time-out winner in the field

  Order Of St George Aims To Retain Crown

A winner of the Irish St Leger in 2015, Order Of St George was a red-hot jolly to retain the staying crown, but as he underperformed it was the dual purpose staying star Wicklow Brave that propelled into the limelight, however, having won the Irish St Leger trial last month, beating Wicklow Brave comfortably, the multiple Group winner will be a warm 4/9 shot to win this race for the second time in his career.

Narrowly beaten by Big Orange in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June, the five-year-old Ballydoyle inmate is the premier stayer across the Irish Sea, and providing he can emulate his Curragh win last month then it's hard to not see him recapture this crown, but having disappointed at short odds last season then it would be no surprise to see punters avoiding the classy performer at such prohibitive odds.

The 2016 Gold Cup winner at the Royal meeting may have lost a few times when sent off at odds-on, so with that in mind he is not a backable price, but if he can turn up on his best form then you have to feel that none of his rivals will be able to maintain the strong gallop, as they approach the final couple of furlongs.

Dartmouth & Torcedor The Dangers

Sir Michael Stoute's Dartmouth kicked off the new campaign with a fine win in the Yorkshire Cup at York, but having finished fourth in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, he was then touched off in the Lonsdale Cup at York, so he will be hoping for a turn of fortunes, but the 8/1 chance can often find these marathon distances a little too far, and while he could be one of the most eye-catching each-way plays against the favourites, it's hard to see him reigning for The Queen here.

Jessica Harrington's Torcedor is a stayer on the upgrade, and having won the Vintage Crop Stakes two starts ago, he wasn't disgraced following that Group 3 win by finishing an eye-catching fifth in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, and with a drop back in trip likely to play to his strengths then 8/1 with William Hill for him to make the top three is a cracking bet, while if Order Of St George doesn't produce his best then he could well play his part in the finish.

Mount Moriah Best Of The Rest

Wicklow Brave will no doubt come into punter's minds as he aims to retain this prize, but at 20/1 with Paddy Power he can be easily ignored, and there are more attractive big-priced runners taking their chance, with Mount Moriah catching the eye at 25/1.

Ralph Beckett's charge won two handicaps on British soil impressively, and wasn't completely disgraced when third in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood last month, and while he will need to improve immeasurably to figure here, he is one of the only contenders with potential improvement to come this season.

Of the others, Western Hymn (25/1 with Betfred) can be a real handful, and while he oozes ability on occasions he often blows more cold than hot, while Twilight Payment (33/1) and Lord Yeats (40/1) will be fighting it out for the minor honours, in what should be a fascinating event on Sunday afternoon.

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