O'Brien the toast of Leopardstown and Doncaster
He scores 13th Irish Champion Stakes - and wins a 48th English Classic too
Saturday, 13 September 2025
Christophe Soumillon is cheered after winning the Irish Champions Stakes on Delacroix (Inpho for HRI)
When Christophe said go, it was over. He’s an incredible horse – big and powerful – this horse is not for kids.
There’s a sea and 250 miles between Leopardstown and Doncaster, but that doesn’t bother Aidan O’Brien, writes James Toney.
He became the first trainer in the 249-year history of the St Leger to win three consecutive races as Tom Marquand powered Scandinavia to victory – O’Brien’s 48th Classic in England.
Less than two hours later, Delacroix, brilliantly ridden by Christophe Soumillon in the absence of the injured Ryan Moore, scored in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, the €712,500 showpiece on the opening day of the Irish Champions Festival.
It brought up a treble too, after two of O’Brien’s rising stars, Diamond Necklace and Benvenuto Cellini, had won the Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes and KPMG Champion Juvenile Stakes respectively. The latter is now a lively contender in next year’s Derby markets.
Godolphin star Ombudsman, who Delacroix beat in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, was absent from an anticipated showdown, but on this evidence the winner would have been hard to overturn.
“The lads will see what they want to do next with him, but he has all the options,” said O’Brien, with Ascot's Champion Stakes at British Champions Day a possible target.
“It was off a strong pace and was always going to be an even-run race, but when he said go on him it was over, really. I haven’t seen a horse do that before.
“We saw him quicken like that at Sandown and what he did was very unusual; he did it again. When Christophe said go, it was over. He’s an incredible horse – big and powerful – this horse is not for kids.”
Meanwhile, Marquand admitted he couldn’t believe his luck after getting the chance to ride O’Brien’s favourite in Doncaster, his win greeted with loud cheers unlike his first victory in the race five years ago, staged behind closed doors during the pandemic.
“I’m blessed to be on board on the right day. He’s an extremely tough horse. Aidan has got an incredible record in the race for a good reason,” he said, the win being O’Brien’s career ninth in the race.
“Being given a ride by Aidan O’Brien in a Classic is big, but I was especially happy when it was him, because I rode him as a two-year-old at Newmarket and really liked him. Sometimes the stars align.”
O’Brien watched the St Leger on television between races in Ireland and admitted he was unsure which of his three challengers, who included Epsom and Irish Derby winner Lambourn, would fare best.
“I’m delighted,” he said. “He’s hardy and Tom gave him a great ride. He stays very well, obviously, but we were a little bit worried when the ground went on the slow side. The better the ground, the better you’ll see him.”
“She’s so tough, isn’t she?” said Burke. “She’s very honest and James gave her a great ride. It just took a few rides to get to know her – you just can’t pull her around and you’ve got to let her go.”
He became the first trainer in the 249-year history of the St Leger to win three consecutive races as Tom Marquand powered Scandinavia to victory – O’Brien’s 48th Classic in England.
Less than two hours later, Delacroix, brilliantly ridden by Christophe Soumillon in the absence of the injured Ryan Moore, scored in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, the €712,500 showpiece on the opening day of the Irish Champions Festival.
Delacroix’s win was emphatic, as stablemate Mount Kilimanjaro set the pace before Soumillon pressed the button and surged clear of a high-quality field.Delacroix is just too good as he swoops to victory in the @BahrainTurfClub Irish Champion Stakes
— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) September 13, 2025
Win number 13 for Aidan O'Brien at #IrishChampionsFestival showpiecepic.twitter.com/EEb7rdFHgy
It brought up a treble too, after two of O’Brien’s rising stars, Diamond Necklace and Benvenuto Cellini, had won the Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes and KPMG Champion Juvenile Stakes respectively. The latter is now a lively contender in next year’s Derby markets.
Godolphin star Ombudsman, who Delacroix beat in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, was absent from an anticipated showdown, but on this evidence the winner would have been hard to overturn.
“The lads will see what they want to do next with him, but he has all the options,” said O’Brien, with Ascot's Champion Stakes at British Champions Day a possible target.
“It was off a strong pace and was always going to be an even-run race, but when he said go on him it was over, really. I haven’t seen a horse do that before.
“We saw him quicken like that at Sandown and what he did was very unusual; he did it again. When Christophe said go, it was over. He’s an incredible horse – big and powerful – this horse is not for kids.”
Meanwhile, Marquand admitted he couldn’t believe his luck after getting the chance to ride O’Brien’s favourite in Doncaster, his win greeted with loud cheers unlike his first victory in the race five years ago, staged behind closed doors during the pandemic.
“I’m blessed to be on board on the right day. He’s an extremely tough horse. Aidan has got an incredible record in the race for a good reason,” he said, the win being O’Brien’s career ninth in the race.
“Being given a ride by Aidan O’Brien in a Classic is big, but I was especially happy when it was him, because I rode him as a two-year-old at Newmarket and really liked him. Sometimes the stars align.”
O’Brien watched the St Leger on television between races in Ireland and admitted he was unsure which of his three challengers, who included Epsom and Irish Derby winner Lambourn, would fare best.
“I’m delighted,” he said. “He’s hardy and Tom gave him a great ride. He stays very well, obviously, but we were a little bit worried when the ground went on the slow side. The better the ground, the better you’ll see him.”
Elsewhere, British trainer Karl Burke won twice at Leopardstown, with teak-tough filly Fallen Angel securing her fourth Group One in the Coolmore America Justify Matron Stakes. Runner-up last year to generational filly Porta Fortuna, she bounced back in style thanks to a brilliant ride from jockey James Doyle.That felt good.
— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) September 13, 2025
Convergent wins the CMG Group Stakes for @karl_burke#IrishChampionsFestivalpic.twitter.com/BlF9lNtft8
“She’s so tough, isn’t she?” said Burke. “She’s very honest and James gave her a great ride. It just took a few rides to get to know her – you just can’t pull her around and you’ve got to let her go.”