Scandinavia Outshines Others to Secure 1-2 Victory in O'Brien Goodwood Cup
Scandinavia and Illinois: Future Prospects and Target Races
In the world of horse racing, two horses have caught the attention of many – Scandinavia and Illinois. Both have shown impressive performances, but their future races and prospects differ significantly.
Scandinavia
The three-year-old colt, trained by Aidan O'Brien, recently clinched a victory in the two-mile Lennox Stakes, marking O'Brien's fifth win in this race. Scandinavia demonstrated resilience, battling back under jockey Charlie Bishop after being headed by Morris Dancer inside the final furlong.
Scandinavia is viewed as a very promising stayer with a strong future in major staying races such as the Ascot Gold Cup and St Leger. His trainer, Aidan O'Brien, acknowledges that Scandinavia is a "ready-made Leger horse," indicating a clear path toward the St Leger Stakes—a prestigious staying classic race over about 1 mile 6 furlongs rather than the 1-mile English 2000 Guineas.
Scandinavia's aptitude for longer distances also makes him a potential contender for major international staying events such as the Melbourne Cup or Caulfield Cup in Australia, with racing insiders noting he profiles well to contest those Cups, which require great stamina.
Illinois
Illinois, Scandinavia's stablemate, filled the runners-up spot behind Trawlerman in last month's Ascot Gold Cup. Richard Newlands, who specializes in jumps racing, was particularly delighted with this flat racing achievement. However, Illinois appears to currently be slightly behind Scandinavia in recent form. In a July 2025 Ballydoyle stable race, Scandinavia decisively outperformed Illinois, suggesting Scandinavia is considered the leading prospect for staying races at this time; there is no specific mention of Illinois's plans toward the Ascot Gold Cup or English 2000 Guineas.
English 2000 Guineas
The English 2000 Guineas is a 1-mile race for three-year-olds emphasizing speed and miler-type qualities. Neither Scandinavia nor Illinois fits the typical mile profile for this race, with Scandinavia's early career showing promise at middle to longer distances (including a maiden win over 1¼ miles), and his connections now targeting staying classics rather than the miler Guineas.
In conclusion, Scandinavia's future lies mainly with the staying classics such as the St Leger and Ascot Gold Cup, and possibly major international Cups, but not the English 2000 Guineas. Illinois, while promising, is currently overshadowed by Scandinavia and has no confirmed classic targets yet.
Scandinavia, with his resilience and strong performances at longer distances, is being targeted for major staying races like the Ascot Gold Cup, St Leger, and even international Cups such as the Melbourne Cup or Caulfield Cup. In contrast, Illinois, despite his promising performances, does not fit the typical profile for the English 2000 Guineas and has no confirmed classic targets at this time, being currently overshadowed by Scandinavia.
