St Leger hero Scandinavia will not contest the Melbourne Cup as Aidan O'Brien maps out star's future target

Scandinavia will not contest this year's Melbourne Cup after trainer Aidan O'Brien revealed that the St Leger winner will not race again this season and will be campaigned towards the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot next year.

The Justify colt did not get off the mark in three starts as a juvenile but has been hugely progressive in his three-year-old campaign. After landing a Navan maiden on his seasonal return in May, he finished fifth in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot before storming clear to land the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket.

He clashed with stablemate Illinois in the Goodwood Cup and relished the step up to two miles to score by three-quarters of a length, resulting in him being sent off 2-1 favourite for the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster where he faced dual Derby winner and stablemate Lambourn.

After he landed the Classic in gutsy fashion under Tom Marquand, the Melbourne Cup was mooted as a possibility but O'Brien has revealed that the star won't travel to Australia or take on Trawlerman at Ascot. Instead, he will be put away for next year with a view to the Gold Cup, a race the recently retired Kyprios won twice for Ballydoyle.

O'Brien said: "Scandinavia won't be going to the Melbourne Cup. He's finished for the season and we'll train him for the Gold Cup next year."

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