On Saturday at Doncaster, Scandinavia lived up to the hype and claimed the final classic of the season on the flat. Under Tom Marquand, the Ballydoyle colt dug deep to win the St Leger Stakes, giving Aidan O’Brien another classic victory with a win in the staying test.

The race was a grind, the ground was soft, and the racecourse was packed, with over 27,000 people in attendance to watch, as seven runners went to post in a small field St Leger.

But Scandinavia showed plenty of determination, stamina, and enough class to hold off the chasing pack, including Rahiebb, who closed in strongly on the inside.

This was a staying performance, a horse that has already won over further, and will only improve the further he goes. Some St Leger winners are horses that just get home, and immediately revert back down in trip. Scandinavia looks the opposite. I don’t think we’ll ever see him run at less than 1 m 6f again.

Marquand only got the ride at the last minute as both Ryan Moore and Wayne Lordan were unavailable, via injury and suspension, which meant Scandinavia fell to him at the 48-hour declaration stage.

But it wasn’t just luck, as he’d ridden Scandinavia before as a two-year-old, and that must have counted for something during the decision-making process. O’Brien praised both horse and jockey afterwards, saying:

“Tom gave him a brilliant ride. He’s a hardy horse, he stays very well, and he has a beautiful temperament. He’s uncomplicated, which is what you want in a race like this.”

This victory is another highlight of Scandinavia’s very good 2025 campaign. Before the Leger, he had won the Bahrain Trophy in July by a wide margin, and then made history at Goodwood, becoming just the second three-year-old in 25 years to take the Goodwood Cup.

What’s Next for Scandinavia?

With Doncaster behind him, the question on everyone’s mind is, where does Scandinavia go from here?

One option is the Melbourne Cup this autumn, he’s run five times this season, so could go again, for the right race. Trainer O’Brien spoke about the potential for that after Saturday’s success by saying:

“Every week he’s getting better. He’s in the Melbourne Cup, and he has to get scanned to see whether he’s eligible to go or not, but there’s every chance the lads might want to do down there with him. He’s uncomplicated, he travels, and he has that profile that you’d like to take to Australia.”

Bookmakers were quick to jump onto the quote, and the possibility of this, with Paddy Power cutting the horse from 16/1 into 10/1 for the Melbourne Cup, which takes place at the start of November.

Looking further ahead, Scandinavia seems built for the staying ranks. The Ascot Gold Cup is the biggest of them all next summer and looks to be an option. O’Brien briefly hinted at the plan:

“He’s proven now that he stays, but he’s also got gears. The Gold Cup is a race that would suit him well next year, and that has to be in our minds.”

That blend of stamina and tactical speed is the hallmark of great stayers. O’Brien has seen it all before, training some of the greats, including Yeats, arguably one of the best staying horses we’ve ever seen. Scandinavia has shown it at 1m6f and 2m already, and the signs are that he will only get stronger with age.

Ballydoyle have produced many top stayers, and Scandinavia feels like one that could define the staying division for the next year or two at least.

I’d personally be tempted to skip the Melbourne Cup, as it’s a big ask for a three-year-old and the end of the season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s where they went, with the fame and money on offer.

For me, it’s all about next season. An early starting point, followed by races such as the Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and the Long Distance Cup as Ascot Champions Day. He has the potential to be the next big staying star, win plenty of prize money, and given he’s still just three, there’s also the chance he’ll be around for a while, if he can stay fit and healthy.