The Prix du Cadran (G1) has not always been a race kind to Ballydoyle given legendary stayer Yeats never showed his best in three efforts in the race, but Kyprios provided Aidan O'Brien with a memorable first win in the race in 2022.
Kyprios pulverized the field with a stunning 20-length success before adding another dominant win in the 2 1/2-mile group 1 in 2024. Since the eight-time group 1 winner's retirement last year, Scandinavia has remarkably picked up where Kyprios left off and completely dominated the stayers' division this year.
The strapping son of Justify has landed all five of his races this season, including when coming out on top in a magnificent duel with Trawlerman in the Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Ascot Racecourse, and he reasserted dominance over that rival when blasting clear of him in the Goodwood Cup Stakes (G1).
Another straightforward victory followed in the Irish St. Leger (G1) last time and that was meant to be it for the season. However, O'Brien has elected to let him take his chance Oct. 3 at ParisLongchamp Racecourse on account of the ground being drier than usual and it could round off a flawless campaign.
"Scandinavia is in good form," the trainer said. "We were going to leave him for the year, but we just kept him ticking over and the ground looks like it's going to be nice."
Joining him is stablemate Queenstown, who ran a cracker in this contest last year when third to the reopposing Caballo de Mar and looks a better horse this season.
He returned from a long layoff with an impressive victory at the Curragh and ran a career-best when a 2-length second to Scandinavia last time.
"It'll be interesting to see what Queenstown will do over this trip," O'Brien added. "He's in good form since the Curragh and ran very well in the race last year."
Sunly Stretches Out in Prix de Royallieu
One race before the Prix du Cadran, fillies and mares go 1 3/4 miles in the Prix de Royallieu (G1). Francis-Henri Graffard opted for the Royallieu Saturday over the Oct. 4 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) for Juddmonte's Sunly.
"I took Sunly out of the Arc because I really need to win a group 1 with her and this is a better chance," the trainer said. "I think the trip will be fine for her. I made a mistake last year when running Quisisana and Gezora in the Arc instead of the Opera and I didn't want to make the same mistake again."
Sunly has performed admirably in group 1 company in her last two starts, finishing third to Calandagan and Cualificar in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) July 5 and third again behind Friendly Soul and Pink Panthera in the Sept. 6 Prix Vermeille (G1). Each time she was beaten just a length going 1 1/2 miles.
Among her rivals are last-out Park Hill Stakes (G2) winner Waardah; last year's Prix de Royallieu winner and runner-up in Consent and Santorini Star, respectively; and group 2 winner Fairy Glen.
BloodHorse staff contributed to this story.
