Scandinavia boldly runs down stablemate Illinois to edge a thrilling Ballydoyle one-two

It was a race that should have been a delight but was instead tinged with tragedy.

At the site where Trueshan landed his first Group 1 four years ago he ran his last race, his wonderful life heartbreakingly lost when suffering a fatal injury six furlongs from home.

A horse of immense class and beloved by many, not least Alan King and Hollie Doyle, his death cast a shadow over what should have been a joyous Goodwood Cup. Racing will mourn the staying star while recognising the birth of another in Scandinavia.

Trueshan's death resulted in an unmistakably subdued atmosphere in the winner's enclosure yet it was unable to entirely eliminate the feeling that Aidan O'Brien could have something special on his hands.

Scandinavia slowly but surely inched his way past his stablemate and the favourite Illinois to not only strike at Group 1 level at the first attempt, but also propel himself into 7-4 favouritism for St Leger on September 13.

Hugely popular veteran Trueshan suffers fatal injury in Goodwood Cup

For Illinois, who has finished third, second, second, second and second at the top level, success in the Goodwood Cup would have been a crowning moment. For Scandinavia, it seems to be just the start of his climb to the top, having built impressively on his Bahrain Trophy romp at Newmarket three weeks ago.

Scandinavia is a favourite for the St Leger after his Goodwood Cup triumphCredit: Edward Whitaker

Ryan Moore was the man on board for that Group 3 assignment but, having defected to Illinois, Wayne Lordan stepped up. Just as he had at Epsom in June, Lordan turned Ballydoyle's second string into the headline act and did not shy away from the prospect of Scandinavia filling the void left by last year's winner Kyprios.

"I think in the future he could step into Kyprios's shoes, but I suppose if Kyprios was here today it might have been a tougher task," Lordan said. "That's the way it goes, Kyprios has gone, so this could be the man for the next few years.

"He's improving. He's only a three-year-old and was taking on the older horses for the first time. We always felt the trip was going to be okay for him, but he was going up against Group 1 performers and had to step up too. Even though he won well last time, we were still finding out a bit today. If it didn't happen, it was going to happen in the future."

Lordan is assured Scandinavia's future is bright and his potential is now visible to all, having largely slipped under the radar until his Newmarket success. His promise had always been visible to those on the inside of the Ballydoyle machine, even if he had originally been pencilled in for a different Classic contest than his likely next start in the St Leger.

"The lads actually backed this horse for the Derby very early in his career, he was always considered a very good horse," O'Brien said. "He won his maiden over a mile and a quarter and Wayne was delighted with him at Ascot next time in the Queen's Vase. He got trapped six-wide but he still didn't lie down and came back at the line to try and win.

"This was Illinois's race, all was planned out, but when Ryan said at Newmarket that Scandinavia felt very classy, it was the right thing to do to run the two of them together and see. He's a great stayer with a great mind. He's uncomplicated and he handled the ease in the ground well. You couldn't be more delighted with him.

"You'd imagine he looks a ready-made Leger horse. Lambourn didn't go to the King George, he's looking at the Voltigeur, and after that the Arc or the British or Irish Leger. Scandinavia doesn't have to run again before the Leger if he's going there, so all the options are there."

Wayne Lordan after winning the Goodwood CupCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Another Ballydoyle blockbuster could be on the cards should Scandinavia and Lambourn head to Doncaster, and while O'Brien searches for the right replacement for Kyprios, the wait for a staying great to follow up Stradivarius goes on for John and Thady Gosden. Sweet William fared best of their three runners with his third-placed effort under Rab Havlin.

"He ran a very brave race and we couldn't be more pleased with him," said John Gosden. "He'll go to York and Doncaster now. A galloping track suits him, maybe a fiddly one like this doesn't. Aidan's runners controlled the early fractions. When they do that, they're very hard to catch."

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