Aidan O'Brien eyes St Leger bid after Scandinavia leads home Ballydoyle 1-2 in Goodwood Cup
Illinois attempted to make all but Scandinavia drew upsides the 7/4 favourite over a furlong out and the two had it between them, with the concession of 14lb ultimately proving too much for Moore's mount, which went down by three-parts of a length. Sweet William stayed on for third.
O'Brien immediately signalled the St Leger at Doncaster as the big aim for his winner.
'Wayne gave him a lovely ride – in the race at Ascot [Queen's Vase] he was trapped six wide all the way and then at Newmarket Ryan said he felt like a very good horse,' he said.
'Illinois went out there in front and looked to have the race won, but then the other horse got him.
'We went to the Gold Cup [with Illinois] without a preparation and I know we haven't seen the best of him.
'Scandinavia is a typical Justify, he just won't lie down, he puts his head down and won't be beaten.
'Lambourn didn't go to the King George as we had one eye on York for him. It's all out in the open and this horse is ready-made for the Leger, which is where he will go.
'He [Scandinavia] travelled very well through the race, he has a great mind. Lambourn can go for the Voltigeur and then maybe for the Arc.'
O'Brien was also pleased with the performance of the runner-up. 'I thought Ryan did everything perfect today on Illinois. He was out there and had the race won, and then the other horse just came and got him,' he reflected.
'I don't think we've seen the best of Illinois yet because I think we went to the Gold Cup a year too early and his preparation wasn't right to win a Gold Cup. He ran an unbelievable race, and he'll have the rest of the season.'
Alan King's hugely popular Trueshan, winner of the race in 2021, was pulled up sharply by Hollie Doyle at halfway, with news emerging his injury had proved to be a fatal one.
Earlier, O'Brien's 13/8 favourite Dorset Street could only finish fifth to the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Zavateri (8/1) in the Coral Vintage Stakes.
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