St Leger hero Scandinavia finished for season

Aidan O’Brien has confirmed Scandinavia will not run in this year’s Melbourne Cup and will be put away until next season, with the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot pencilled in as his primary objective.

Largely unheralded after failing to get his head in front in three juvenile starts, the Justify colt has enjoyed an excellent second half to his three-year-old campaign, winning the Bahrain Trophy before beating his elders in the Goodwood Cup and then claiming Classic glory in the St Leger at Doncaster.

Last week the Ballydoyle handler left the door open to a possible trip to Australia, with Scandinavia having been allotted 55.5kg (8st 10lb) for the Flemington showpiece in early November.

However, he has now been ruled out ‘the race that stops a nation’ and he will also not be taking up his engagement in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot on October 18.

O’Brien told the PA news agency: “He’s not going (to Australia), he’s finished for the year and will be trained for the Gold Cup next year.”

Al Riffa, who is trained by O’Brien’s son Joseph, is as low as 5-1 favourite for the Flemington showpiece on November 4.