Amelia Earhart will take on the colts in the historic St Leger

Aidan O’Brien confirmed that the daughter of Camelot will be one of his three cards for the final Classic of the British season, alongside Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard; the Derby winner enters as the favorite

DONCASTER, England (Special for Turf Diario).— Amelia Earhart will get one last opportunity to chase Classic glory, though this time the challenge will be even greater. Aidan O’Brien confirmed that the filly will take on the colts in the Betfred St Leger (G1), to be run next Saturday at Doncaster, forming part of a powerful Ballydoyle contingent alongside Christmas Day (Camelot) and Pierre Bonnard (Camelot).

A favorite no less for the Epsom Oaks (G1) after returning to action with a victory at Chester, the daughter of Camelot failed to live up to those towering expectations. She was similarly unable to deliver in the Irish Oaks (G1) at The Curragh and subsequently suffered defeats in a G2 at Goodwood and a G3 at Cork.

Initially, O’Brien and his team were preparing Amelia Earhart for the Park Hill Stakes (L), the traditional race for fillies that is also part of the Doncaster festival. However, a suggestion from John Magnier shifted those plans.

“The plan is for the horses that ran in the Voltigeur to go, and what looks a bit different is that Amelia Earhart could also go,” O’Brien explained.

“We were getting ready for the fillies’ race at Doncaster, and the boss said, ‘Why not give her her chance against the colts?’. There is only one Classic, and she can always go to France after that for the G1 fillies’ race (Prix de Royallieu) if this doesn’t work out,” he added.

The gamble will be significant. Amelia Earhart sits at 66-1 in the early betting, whereas her stablemates dominate the market.

Epsom Derby winner Christmas Day is the 7-4 favorite, while Pierre Bonnard follows closely behind at 5-2.

Both are coming off a clash in the Great Voltigeur Stakes (G2) at York, where they finished second and third, respectively, behind Maltese Cross (Sea the Stars), who was ruled out of the St Leger following that victory and will now target the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1).

For O’Brien, however, the roughly 2,800 meters of the final Classic of the British season could alter the dynamic between his two top contenders.

“I always thought Christmas Day could outstay Pierre Bonnard over a mile and six furlongs, whereas over a mile and a half, I thought Pierre Bonnard might be the horse. That’s how it looked at York, although he didn’t carry the five-pound penalty that Christmas Day had,” the Irish trainer explained.

Furthermore, O’Brien made it clear that the Great Voltigeur was designed primarily as a prep race.

“Both horses had a break and were just starting up again at York. There was a very strong pace, which probably suited the winner, who is obviously a good horse as well. We were using the York race as a stepping stone for the next one.”

Thus, Ballydoyle will enter the St Leger with three hands to play in a race that carries extra meaning this season, as it marks its 250th edition.

Christmas Day will seek to add another Classic following his victory in the Derby; Pierre Bonnard will look to capitalize on a distance that also appears tailor-made for his attributes; and Amelia Earhart will get her final shot.

The filly who began the season as the favorite to win the Oaks now seeks to close out her Classic campaign by taking on the top colts.

An unexpected move, but one very much in true Ballydoyle style.