Jan Brueghel (3c Galileo – Devoted To You, by Danehill Dancer) added a Group 1 win to his unbeaten record when producing a game performance in the Saturday’s Doncaster St Leger.

An impressive debut winner in May, the Barronstown-bred colt followed up in a pair of Group 3 contests and was sent off joint-favourite as he stepped up to a mile and six furlongs. Racing in touch with the leaders, Aidan O’Brien’s charge began to make headway from three furlongs out and ridden to challenge a furlong from home. He dug deep to beat stablemate Illinois by a neck, as the pair rallied a length and a half clear of the third.

“I think he’s a Gold Cup horse in the making,” winning rider Sean Levey commented, while over at Leopardstown, O’Brien said, “We knew the winner had improved a lot since Goodwood and he’s a classy horse. Either of them could go to Melbourne, they’re two classy stayers.”

Jan Brueghel becomes the third St Leger winner bred by Barronstown Stud, after Simple Verse and Kew Gardens. Owned by Coolmore partners with Westerberg, the son of Galileo  is a full-brother is Irish Derby winner Sovereign. 

The pair are out of Barronstown’s homebred Group performer Devoted To You, whose filly by St Mark’s Basilica sells at the upcoming Goffs Orby Sale.

Earlier on the card, the Barronstown-bred Monumental finished second in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes. It marked a significant step forward for Jan Brueghel’s stablemate, who was last seen winning a maiden at Gowran Park.