Scandinavia looks to hold all the aces on first French foray

Scandinavia is the star attraction at ParisLongchamp on Saturday as he bids to continue his dominance of the staying division in the Qatar Prix du Cadran.

Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old is unbeaten in his last eight competitive starts, a sequence which includes victories in the English and Irish versions of the St Leger, two Goodwood Cups and the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Kyprios, the most recent superstar stayer off the Ballydoyle production line, claimed this Group One prize by 20 lengths in 2022 before regaining his crown two years later, and it would be a big surprise if Scandinavia does not add his name to the roll of honour on his first trip across the Channel.

O’Brien is also set to saddle Queenstown, who was a two-length second to his esteemed stablemate in the Irish Leger three weeks ago.

“The plan was that if the ground got soft Scandinavia wouldn’t run, but with the ground being the way it is it was a chance he could run. Queenstown won’t mind if the ground is soft or fast,” said O’Brien.

The biggest threat to the Ballydoyle pair appears to be the defending champion Caballo De Mar, who provided trainer George Scott with a first Group One success in this race a year ago and subsequently returned to Paris to double his own top-level tally in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier.

He subsequently disappointed in the Gold Cup and also ran below expectations in the Lonsdale Cup at York, but having bounced back to winning ways in the Doncaster Cup, Scott is looking forward to seeing him back at a happy hunting ground.

“Caballo ran his heart out in Paris earlier this summer and got another Group One, but then we had a few struggles and he had that hard race in the Gold Cup. He struggled a bit to come back from that, but he bounced back to form at Doncaster,” said the Newmarket handler.

“Aidan running Scandinavia was a bit of a shock, but Caballo loves the track and got his confidence back at Doncaster last time so deserves to take his chance, but we’re very realistic about his chances.”

The Willie Mullins-trained Mr Hollywood and John and Thady Gosden’s French Master complete the raiding party in the two-and-a-half-mile contest, with Christophe Ferland’s Double Major seemingly the pick of the home team.