Nine declared for St Leger

Aidan O'Brien has declared Sword Fighter and Housesofparliament alongside favourite Idaho for the Ladbrokes St Leger.

O'Brien, who has taken the St Leger four times previously with Milan (2001), Brian Boru (2003), Scorpion (2005) and Leading Light (2013), has an undoubtedly strong hand in the nine-runner contest.

Idaho has been the long-time ante-post favourite and heads Sky Bet's updated market at 8/11, having been placed in the Investec Derby and Dubai Duty Free-sponsored Irish Derby before pouncing from off the pace to land the Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last month at the main expense of Housesofparliament.

Sword Fighter won the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot and the Curragh Cup before being unable to land a blow at Goodwood.

Laura Mongan will seek to make history by becoming the first woman to train the winner of the race when she runs Harbour Law.

Mongan has never previously had a runner in a Group One race before, let alone a Classic, but insists Harbour Law is a genuine contender for the £700,000 showpiece, which forms part of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

The Lawman colt entered the reckoning when runner-up to Sword Fighter in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot in June and also finished a close fourth to Housesofparliament in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket the following month.

"We know we are taking on some of classy horses but we've got one ourselves and if he was in a more fashionable yard people might pay more attention to him," Mongan said. "I don't like to say we are the underdogs but he's only the price he is because he's trained by us.

"We are not going there for a day out, or to make up the numbers. We are going there with a horse who is entitled to be there and he could not be in better shape. He's spot-on.

"It's the perfect race for him; he's an out-out stayer who has matured as the year has progressed. He's professional in everything he does, a joy to train, and if he runs up to the level that he has previously been running this year then he's good enough to be in the frame."

John Gosden has also enjoyed four St Leger victories - with Shantou (1996), Lucarno (2007), Arctic Cosmos (2010) and Masked Marvel in 2011 - and will attempt to add to that sequence with Muntahaa, who made all in a handicap at Chester on his latest start off a mark of 108, having previously been a staying-on third in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Stobart Champion Champion Jockey Silvestre De Sousa partners Ventura Storm, who gave weight and a beating to Ormito in a Listed race at Hamilton on his penultimate start before scooping a Group Three prize at Deauville last time.

The field is completed by Harrison, well adrift of Idaho in the Great Voltigeur, and The Tartan Spartan, sixth to Sword Fighter in the Queen's Vase.

The nine horses declared are: Harbour Law, Harrison, Housesofparliament, Idaho, Muntahaa, Ormito, Sword Fighter, The Tartan Spartan and Ventura Storm.