Aidan O’Brien became the first trainer in modern history to claim three consecutive winners of the St. Army when Scandinavia won the victory at a neck.
Jockey Tom Marquand sent the 2-1 favorite in an exciting finish home and stopped a late load for 14-1 Chance Rahiebb on the line.
O’Brien’s Stay True was third, while Derby winner Lambourn, the last horse house of the Irish trainer in the Zeven-Strenge Veld, faded to finish fourth.
For Marquand it was a sweet triumph for a crowded crowd at Doncaster after his previous victory came in 2020 during Covid restrictions.
“It is nice to also win a ST army with a few people here – it was a bit silent last time,” Marquand ITV Sport said after helping a ninth winner in total for O’Brien in the fifth and last classic of the flat season.
Scandinavia’s newest St Army victory for O’Brien follows Jan Brueghel last year and continuously in 2023.
Only four trainers have achieved three consecutive victories in the 249-year history of the race, with the most successful trainer of St. Army, John Scott, the last to claim four in a row between 1838 and 1841.
Lambourn was heavily supported in the run-up to the world’s oldest classic as the first derby winner to participated in the St. Army since Camelot in 2012.
The favorite of 11-4 seconds had succeeded the derby victory by getting the Irish Derby, but it was Scandanavia who warned the invoicing after back-to-back victories at the Bahrain trophy and Goodwood in his last two starts.
“He has the most beautiful temperament,” Marquand added.
“It is just that simple and was so heavy there. The [soft] The ground was hard work, but he threw them all away.
“He is an extra special horse and I have the privilege of sitting on today.”
The day of O’Brien was covered by a record-expanding 13th victory in the Irish Champion Stakes, because 2-1 favorite Delacroix produced an emphatic version to come three quarters of a length for Anzin (4-1) in Leopardstown.
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