Scandinavia taking Saval Beg route to Royal Ascot
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 14 May 2026
Betfred St Leger winner Scandinavia lines up in Friday’s Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown in preparation for his tilt at the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
The son of Justify enjoyed a fantastic three-year-old campaign, highlighted by a victory against his elders in the Goodwood Cup before he justified favouritism in the final Classic of the season at Doncaster.
Aidan O’Brien’s colt will be long odds-on to supplement his comeback win in the Vintage Crop at Navan three weeks ago and cement his status as favourite for the Gold Cup on June 18.
O’Brien said: “He goes to Leopardstown on Friday on the way to the Gold Cup, that will be interesting.
“I was delighted with his first run, he was sleeping along. He has a great mind and is only a four-year-old.
“He’s an incredible horse and he obviously won the Betfred St Leger, so we think he could be a very good stayer.
“The Gold Cup is an extreme race and you don’t know until you’ve got past two miles or two and a quarter miles what’s going to happen.
“He’s one of those big horses that floats along in second gear all the time, so it could happen.”
The Group Three Saval Beg – won in three of the last four years by O’Brien’s now-retired staying great Kyprios – sees Scandinavia renew rivalry with Vintage Crop runner-up Dallas Star and the fourth home Leinster.
Happy Pharoah, Le Destrier and Mont St Michel complete the field of six.
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