'He'd have a very live chance with give in the ground' - connections on their leading St Leger contenders

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Los Angeles, Illinois, Jan Brueghel, Highbury and others
We haven't done much with Los Angeles since the Irish Derby, he's sort of on a semi-break. We're not sure what route to take with him yet. Illinois looks a real stayer. He ran very well in France and seemed to love the Leger distance when he won the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot. He's definitely in the mix for the Leger, along with a plenty of others and we'll see what way things pan out for them all over the next few weeks.

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Ancient Wisdom
The plan is to head to the Voltigeur if the ground is right and then plan our way to the St Leger. He is an autumn horse and we won’t jeopardise that by running him on unsuitable ground. I still feel he's not 100 per cent there yet, and isn’t where he was when he won the Autumn Stakes and backed up two weeks’ later in the Futurity last season. I was impressed with him at Newmarket and I think he'd have a very live chance with give in the ground in the St Leger.

Owen Burrows, trainer of Deira Mile and Vanish
Deira Mile is grand and we’re giving him a bit of time after Epsom. He has a Great Voltigeur entry, so if we’re happy there then we can look to give him a run at Doncaster. He should be fine and it wouldn’t bother me if we went straight to the Leger. His Derby run was pretty solid even though he was further back than we wanted. He had a good bit of ground to make up, but he did well and on another day I felt we might have been third with a handier break. The third won the Irish Derby but it was a pleasing run. Entering Vanish was optimistic as he’s just won a novice. We’ll see how he comes out of his Newbury win, but he wants a bit of juice in the ground, so that will determine where he goes.