Aidan O’Brien gave himself – and Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper David Hegan – something to think about for the next couple of days when he saw two of his Melbourne Cup nominations to fight out the English St Leger in the early hours of Sunday, Australian time.
Jan Brueghel stretched his unbeaten run to four when he edged out stablemate Illinois by a neck in the famed Group 1 race at Doncaster.
That duo is among six Melbourne Cup nominees for O’Brien, who also has St Leger fifth placegetter Grosvenor Square among the entries, and might have caused some late reshuffling of the weights, which Hegan will announce at 11am on Tuesday.
O’Brien expressed satisfaction post-race at the performance of all three of his runners.
“It was a great race and I’m delighted, the three of them ran great races,” he said.
“Jan Brueghel, after only having three runs, he was very babyish the last day but we thought he had come forward a lot.
“We knew it was going to be a big call to go and do it and he doesn’t do much in front.
“Illinois also ran a great race and Sean Levey gave the winner a great ride. I’m delighted and it was a great run.”
Jan Brueghel leapt to the third line of Melbourne Cup odds, at $15 with betting sites, with his maiden Group 1 success.
The son of Galileo did not commence his career until May 25, when he won a 2011m maiden at the Curragh, while his two subsequent performances resulted in Group 3 wins, over 2011m and 2414m.
He would become the most lightly-raced Melbourne Cup winner since the 19th century if he was to win the $8.5m event, which will be run at Flemington on November 5, at his fifth start.
O’Brien almost pulled off that feat three years ago when Tiger Moth finished second to Twilight Payment in the Melbourne Cup at his fifth start.
This year’s Queen’s Vase (2816m) winner Illinois is a little more experienced than Jan Brueghel and has now not missed a place from eight career starts, which include three placings at the highest level.
He is an $18 chance in Melbourne Cup betting, the same price as Grosvenor Square, who drifted from $13 after he failed to show the mid-race dash that carried him to a 20-length win in the Irish St Leger Trial and was reeled in 600m from home before finishing 6-1/4 lengths from the winner.