Flag sails through Irish Leger trial with Honour

FLAG OF HONOUR made virtually every yard of the running in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial at the Curragh.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien was bidding for a fifth successive victory in the Group Three contest, with Leading Light striking Gold in 2014 and Order Of St George racking up a hat-trick in the last three renewals.This year the Ballydoyle handler saddled three runners, with Curragh Cup winner Flag Of Honour joined by Giuseppe Garibaldi and Southern France, who was last seen chasing home stablemate Kew Gardens in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

Flag Of Honour, the 9-4 favourite, was sent straight to the lead by Donnacha O’Brien and showed a willing attitude in the closing stages of the one-mile-six-furlong contest to see off Jim Bolger’s Twilight Payment.

Giuseppe Garibaldi and Southern France were third and fourth respectively.

O’Brien said: ‘He’s a hardy horse and he’ll also handle an ease in the ground. He’s just a little bit lazy in front.

‘They are all Leger horses that ran here and in York. We will divide up where they are going to go,’ he added.

‘This horse will handle an ease in the ground, so if it gets soft in either [Curragh or Doncaster] he’ll be happy to go there, though he handles good ground, too.’