A classy staying performance from John Oxx’s four-year-old. Alandi confirmed the promise he had shown over extended distances throughout this season when staying on well to take the Irish St Leger at the Curragh last weekend. Only once raced as a three-year-old, Alandi has made solid progress throughout his three-year-old campaign which began with an easy victory in the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes in April. He finished a close second in the Gr 3 Curragh Cup in June and on his last outing dominated his stablemate and half-sister Aliyfa in a Listed event at Fairyhouse. Handily placed throughout the 1 mile 6 furlong classic on Saturday, Alandi was sent to the front by Michael Kinane inside the final furlong and never looked in any danger from second-placed Clowance. Multiple Gr 1 winner Schiaparelli faded to take third place while four-time Ascot Gold Cup hero Yeats was never a factor.

Alandi is a son of Galileo and Aliya (Darshaan), a Listed winning full-sister to Aliysa who was demoted to second place in the Epsom Oaks and then filled the same position in the Irish Oaks. The colt is now likely to aim for further Group 1 glory with a tilt at the Qatar Prix du Cadran on the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe card at Longchamp on 4th October.

The consistent Mourayan (Alhaarth) can be considered unlucky not to have finished closer than fifth in the St Leger at Doncaster as he was hampered in the final stages. Beaten only three and a half lengths, the son of Gr 2 Prix de Royallieu winner Mouramara (Kahyasi) is also Longchamp-bound where his objective will be the Gr 2 Prix Chaudenay on the eve of the Arc.

Updated on 15/09/2009