Al Qareem and Dillian out to maintain Royal-Oak record of three-year-olds

Prix Royal-Oak (Group 1) | 3yo+ | 1m7½f | SKY

Although run over just two furlongs further than the Derby, the two St Legers are the most likely source of future staying talent in Britain and Ireland.

France's nearest equivalent, the Prix Royal-Oak, is staged over virtually two miles, pitting established older stayers against the hardiest members of the Classic generation.

Four of the last five Royal-Oak winners were three-year-olds and all bar Scope were toughened up throughout the season with repeated visits to the track. Technician ran eight times in 2019 before his Longchamp triumph and was followed by Subjectivist, who started seven times. Even French-trained Ice Breeze was making his eighth start of 2017.

On that particularly strong trend Al Qareem looks the obvious starting point, with his narrow Prix Chaudenay defeat of Sober bringing his seasonal tally to three wins from eight starts for Karl Burke and Nick Bradley Racing.

Sober looked at one stage to have gone a head up but the imposing Al Qareem, who was always travelling well, showed he had plenty of heart to go with his talent.

The other three-year-old in the field is Dillian, who picked up a minor niggle on the eve of the Chester Vase and was forced to miss the rest of the summer while he recovered.

Whether he is seasoned enough for this test remains to be seen. Bell belatedly got Dillian to the track when fourth in Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot last month but he undoubtedly has ability after finishing not far behind the winner in last season's Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

Iresine and Marie Velon return to the Longchamp winners' enclosure after victory in the Group 2 Qatar Prix FoyCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

Arguably the most interesting candidate among the older brigade is Iresine, who looked extremely classy when winning the Prix Foy on Arc Trials day.

Assuming Marie Velon gets the son of Manduro to settle into a slower rhythm than he is used to over this longer trip, Iresine's turn of foot will be unlike anything most of his opposition have faced.

Kyprios turned the Cadran into a procession and the patiently-ridden Almacado Gree posted a career best by some distance when running down Tashkhan and the reopposing Princess Zoe to snatch second close to home.

Jannah Flower has been a model of consistency when chasing home the likes of Sea La Rosa and Quickthorn and is far from out of the argument on her first try over 1m7½f.

What they say

Bruno Audoin, trainer of Almacado Gree
He recovered well from the Cadran and has a great mind. We've given him a similar preparation to the one we used for stablemate Holdthasigreen [2018 winner] and he is such a tough horse that heavy ground is an advantage.

Hugo Palmer, trainer of Rajinsky
I debated whether to run him in the Cesarewitch trial and thank God we did because if I'd held my nerve, he wouldn't have run in the Cesarewitch itself because the ground was too firm. He would need to run to 111 or 112 here and if he can do that, he'll be very competitive. He's in really good order and this has been the alternative plan for quite a long time.

Rajinsky (nearside) heads to the Prix Royal-Oak after winning the Cesarewitch trialCredit: Edward Whitaker

Jean-Pierre Gauvin, trainer of Iresine
We've done everything to have him in great shape and the ground should suit him, he likes it soft. Obviously the trip is the question and you never know until you try. He's had a light year and won the Prix Foy brilliantly, albeit the beaten horses didn't advertise the form over Arc weekend.

Michael Bell, trainer of Dillian
Dillian's summer was wiped out on the eve of the Chester Vase with a joint injury. He's made a very good recovery and had an excellent comeback at Ascot. The extra distance and the soft ground will play to his strengths but it's a tough race.

Karl Burke, trainer of Al Qareem
He's a talented stayer and I hope he can run really well. It was a great performance last time, Ryan Moore really liked him and he takes the ride again. He goes there with a great chance.

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