Jan Brueghel v Illinois at the Curragh

Illinois and Jan Brueghel set to run in Irish St Leger at the Curragh

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Mon September 01, 2025 · 4M ago

Aidan O'Brien expects to run both Illinois and Jan Brueghel in the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger at the Curragh on Sunday week.

The former finished second in the Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup on his last two starts, while Jan Brueghel will be stepping back up in trip after disappointing under a front-running ride at Ascot last time.

"The lads are very happy for that to happen. They are two older horses. We mightn’t have seen the best of Illinois yet. The Gold Cup was possibly a bit hard on him, his preparation wasn’t ideal for it and he might have felt that a bit at Goodwood. We feel he’s in a good place again but it might take until next year to get him right back," the trainer warned.

“We absolutely made a hash of it in the King George with Jan Brueghel but he’s very well. Obviously he’s very idle in front and needs something to be running at, but he stays very well and is in good shape."

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Composing and Beautify are set to represent the yard in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes.

“Composing won very well the last day and is a very straightforward, honest filly. She doesn’t mind making the running and you have to follow her because she stays. She’s a good filly and that’s the plan with her," O'Brien added at a Horse Racing Ireland press morning.

“Beautify could run. She won a Group Two at the Curragh a while ago and couldn't run any more because she had penalties wherever se went. She’ll be very happy going back up to seven."

Two colts are also on target for the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes on the same card.

Gstaad lost his unbeaten record when a fast-finishing second in the Prix Morny at Deauville and Italy continued his race-by-race progression by chasing home Gewan in the Tattersalls Acomb at York.

“Gstaad will love seven furlongs. He went to France and came back better than he went. He's going to be very comfortable at seven. The original plan with him was to go to the Curragh for a stiff six in the Phoenix and we didn’t get to go obviously and the filly (True Love) was to go to Deauville and they had to swap around. The way it worked didn’t suit either. The filly would probably have been better on a quick six and he’d have been better on a stiff six. Gstaad is a fair horse, he stays, he quickens and is a big, hardy colt," the trainer said

"Italy ran well at York, he got put back a little and is still a little immature mentally, but we’ve been very happy since and there’s a strong possibility he will run too.”