FOR THE second year running Irish jockey Colm O’Donoghue enjoyed a major Arlington Million pay-day in Chicago as Jakkalberry ran out a decisive winner of the inaugural American St Leger on Saturday night.

The Marco Botti-trained horse justified favouritism in the $400,000 turf race and earned a trip down under for the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup later in the year. Twelve months ago O’Donoghue landed the Secretariat Stakes on Treasure Beach but there was no repeat at the weekend as Aidan O’Brien’s Daddy Long Legs faded to last behind France’s Bayrir.

Treasure Beach did better for Ballydoyle in the Million but couldn’t land a blow on the all-the-way winner Little Mike who beat the English hope Afsare. Treasure Beach ran on from the back to finish sixth.