Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) has been supplemented by owners Valmont and Newsells Park Stud for Saturday's G1 Betfred St Leger at Doncaster at a cost of £50,000.
Last seen filling the runner-up spot in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks, You Got To Me is one of 10 horses in contention for the final Classic of the season as she tries to emulate Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), the last filly to win the race when successful in 2015.
Like Simple Verse, You Got To Me is trained by Ralph Beckett, who is optimistic of another bold showing in the St Leger from one of his star fillies, having also saddled his Oaks winners Look Here (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) and Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) to finish third and second, respectively.
“I don't think stamina will be an issue and she seems in good shape,” said Beckett. “We're conscious that her best form is on good ground or faster and it looks like being that at the weekend if the forecast is correct. It felt like a good fit for her.
“We've been first, second and third with fillies in the Leger. I wouldn't say we've always got it right, but it is certainly not a race that holds any fears, for sure.”
Aidan O'Brien is responsible for five of the remaining entries. They include ante-post favourite Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who emerged as the stable's number one contender after it was reported that Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) is more likely to run in Saturday's G1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown instead. Los Angeles defied a Group 1 penalty for his Irish Derby win when narrowly denying Illinois in the G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last time.
The unbeaten Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), last seen winning the G3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, and Grosvenor Square (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a wide-margin winner of last month's G3 Irish St Leger Trial Stakes at the Curragh, also feature in what is potentially a very strong Ballydoyle challenge. Euphoric (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was last of five runners in the Great Voltigeur last time, completes their quintet of possible runners as O'Brien seeks an eighth victory in the St Leger.
Of the rest, Deira Mile (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) both bring Classic form to the table from earlier in the season. Deira Mile was narrowly beaten in a Listed race at Windsor last month when making his first appearance since finishing a staying-on fourth in the Derby at Epsom, while Sunway was runner-up to Los Angeles in the Irish Derby before finishing a respectable fourth in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
“He is all on track,” trainer David Menuisier said of Sunway. “We are very pleased with him and we have confirmed him this morning. Everything has gone as we would have liked and we are really looking forward to running him on Saturday.”
Andrew Balding's progressive Wild Waves (Ire) (Crystal Ocean {GB}) and Charlie Johnston's three-time winner Align The Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) complete the list of possible runners, with Godolphin's Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) a notable absentee.
An update on Godolphin's X account read, “Ancient Wisdom will not be confirmed for the @DoncasterRaces St Leger Stakes at today's five-day stage. The horse is in good form, but will instead be aimed at an autumn campaign with his favoured ground conditions.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
