Samedi has Irish St Leger target

Joseph O’Brien’s prolific winner may take in trial first.

Joseph O’Brien has his sights set on the Irish St Leger for prolific winner Baron Samedi.

The four-year-old scored seven times on the trot, including the Belmont Gold Cup, before his winning streak was brought to an end when fifth behind Broome in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud this month.

O’Brien is targeting the Comer Group International Irish St Leger at the Curragh on September 12, with a possible prep run first.

“Baron Samedi has the Irish St Leger as his main target and may have a run before then,” said the County Kilkenny trainer.

“If he does run before it will be in the Irish St Leger Trial.”

O’Brien will take time to consider several options later in the season for his Group One Pretty Polly Stakes winner Thundering Nights.

The form of her Curragh win got a boost when runner-up Santa Barbara subsequently landed the Belmont Oaks – and an international campaign may also be on her agenda.

O’Brien said: “Thundering Nights is on a little rest at the moment, and we have no immediate plans.

“She has some options in France, Ireland and America later on in the year – so we’ll be concentrating on the late summer and autumn.”

Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.

Latest