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| Staff Writer |
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Aidan O'Brien is keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the next move for star 3YO Los Angeles. The Irish Derby hero, who recently defied a 5lb penalty in the Gr.2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, faces a pivotal decision in his autumn campaign.
The Ballydoyle handler is mulling over two prestigious targets for Los Angeles on September 14: the Gr.1 Betfred St Leger at Doncaster or the Gr.1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. The former would see the colt stepping up to a mile and three-quarters, while the latter would require a drop back to 10 furlongs.
O'Brien's embarrassment of riches is evident in both races. For the Irish Champion Stakes, he has pencilled in Auguste Rodin and Luxembourg, while the St Leger betting is currently dominated by his charges Illinois, the unbeaten Jan Brueghel, and Grosvenor Square.
Speaking about the options, O'Brien said: "He could go to either the St Leger or the Irish Champion Stakes. Obviously, if he's going to the Arc, he could go for the Irish Champion Stakes. Auguste Rodin could go there as well with Luxembourg. That's a little bit of a change this week."
The plot thickens with the news that City Of Troy, another O'Brien luminary, is set to bypass the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in favour of the Breeders' Cup Classic. This development could pave the way for Los Angeles to book his ticket to Paris with a strong showing at Leopardstown.
O'Brien added: "We'll see what the ground is going to be like at Doncaster and there are three other horses that could run in the St Leger if he (Los Angeles) didn't run there. He seems to have come out of the race (in York) well. We'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks."
The Betfred St Leger, the world's oldest Classic, boasts a rich history of champions. Recent winners include Eldar Eldarov (2022), who went on to claim the Gr.2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, and Hurricane Lane (2021), who subsequently triumphed in the Gr.1 Grand Prix de Paris and finished third in the Arc.
The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes has been a proving ground for some of the sport's greatest talents. Luxembourg claimed victory in 2022, while the legendary Magical secured back-to-back wins in 2019 and 2020, amassing over US$5.6 million in career earnings.
As the autumn campaign approaches, all eyes will be on Ballydoyle to see which path Los Angeles will tread. Whether he targets Classic glory at Doncaster or takes on his elders at Leopardstown, O'Brien's colt is poised to make a significant impact on the tail-end of the Flat season.