All eyes will be on Doncaster’s Town Moor on Saturday when as many as eight runners go to post for the St Leger Stakes – live on Sky Sports Racing at 3.40pm.

With Aidan O’Brien set to field Goodwood Cup winner Scandinavia alongside his dual-Derby hero Lambourn, the chief threat in terms of opposition is likely to come from across the Irish Sea in the form of Carmers.

The three-year-old bay colt has enjoyed an eyecatching rise to prominence this term, starting with a promising success on home soil at Ballinrobe over a mile and five furlongs.

Remembering the decision to begin the horse’s campaign over such a distance, Twomey said: “You could see he was a stayer. He’s a big, fine horse and is well-tempered horse. He doesn’t blow you away with his homework and does what he has to do. I thought that was a good place to start and I think he’s ready to step up again.

On board that day in May was Donah O’Connor, who recalled: “I suppose he only woke up when we turned in and galloped through the line really well. He took plenty of pulling up and is laid back at home, so we knew there was more to come from him but he’s taken big leaps since then.”

The next jump came eight days later at Navan, this time with Billy Lee taking the reigns in Listed company. Always travelling nicely, Carmers tracked the leader, Umala, before hitting the front two furlongs from home and surging to a three-length triumph, which justified his 6/4 favourite tag.

A memorable day at the Royal meeting

A much stiffer test was to come at Royal Ascot, where Paddy Twomey’s star lined up against the likes of Scandinavia, Pinhole and Asmarini for the Group 2 Queen’s Vase. Given a lovely ride by Billy Lee, Carmers was prominent throughout and stayed on much the best to take the £150,282 winner’s prize.

Speaking to Sky Sports Racing, his trainer said: “It was great to get a Royal Ascot winner and fantastic that he broke the track record. He’s a very important horse for Fiona Carmichael who owns him – he’s named after her husband. It’s great that he’s good and is taking her on this journey.

“It was the first time we brought a team that really had a good chance and him winning was the icing on the cake. That’s the showpiece for our industry nowadays, Royal Ascot is the top of the top for the Flat job and everybody wants to be there.”

Lee recalled: “I’d probably committed him early enough at Ascot, but I knew he’d stay really well. The only worry I had was just inside the furlong pole, they were coming and I wondered whether they would sail by me. He picked up again and pricked his ears going to the line, so there was plenty left in the locker, thank God.”

A stable on the up

The rise of Carmers has been somewhat symptomatic of his handler’s fortunes, with Paddy Twomey enjoying his best ever campaign – having only begun training five years ago after being a breeder for much of his prior career.

He said: “Primarily, I was a pinhooker and breeder before I trained but I enjoy training and we decided five years ago to give it a crack. It’s been a good journey.”

That journey began when the Cork-born man first started buying and selling cattle when aged between six and seven, before buying his first horse before the age of 12.

He remembered: “From a young age I liked horses. I bought and sold cattle and horses as a youngster, traded horses for most of my life and ended up with a few Breeze-up horses when I moved here first. I was renting a yard at the Curragh where there was a gallop and enjoyed training there and doing that.”

Having finished in the top five of the Irish Trainers’ Championship on two occasions already, Twomey’s yard boasts a strike rate above 30 per cent, yielding upwards of €500,000 in winnings so far this season.

Modestly, the trainer lauds the praise for his success on his string. He said: “It’s good to have the standard of horse which is good enough to compete, my job is just to train them and get them there. You want them to run to the best of their ability every time and it’s great that they can do that.”

A key cog in the Twomey machine has been his relationship with first choice jockey Billy Lee, who joined following David Wachman’s retirement in 2016.

Lee added: “When David retired I gave Paddy a ring, and we’ve gone from there. For the first couple of years we probably had maximum 20 horses but he did well with those. He then expanded, got good owners and good horses came into the yard. We’ve been very lucky since and we’ve had a good time together.”

Cause for optimism despite defeat at York

With an ambition to win the St Leger firmly in mind after Royal Ascot, attention turned to finding a suitable prep run for the then-unbeaten stayer in the late summer months.

The Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes was selected and, sent off an 11/2 chance, the Athassel House Stud representative ran a creditable second behind Knavesmire specialist Pride Of Arras, who had previously stunned onlookers in the Dante Stakes at the same venue.

Lee said: “After Ascot, Paddy planned around going to Doncaster so York was a good fit. I thought he came out of that run with plenty of credit. He’s a horse that will go on sort of slow ground. He doesn’t need it but he’ll go on it, and that seems to be a trait of his stallion, Wootton Bassett. They seem to handle all conditions so he’s taken that trait from his father.”

Despite losing his unbeaten status, trainer Twomey was similarly satisfied with his charge’s efforts on August 20.

He said: “I was happy with his run in the Great Voltigeur, he did everything and had never ran as short as one mile and four furlongs previous to that. He travelled through the race and when he got out, he hit the line strong. I thought it was a good trial for the Leger.

“He stays very well but has that bit of a class. He’s a bit of a monkey and just does what he has to, but when he does do it, he’s got plenty of ability.”

Next on the agenda – a trip to Doncaster

With Doncaster on the horizon, the team are under no illusions as to the task at hand – being much the underdogs in comparison to Ballydoyle’s well-fancied duo at the head of the market.

Twomey said: “You want to be the underdog but wouldn’t mind trying the other side if I ever got the chance. We are where we are and we’re going to keep trying and growing. Hopefully somebody else will be the underdog one day and we’ll be the top dog.”

Aidan O’Brien’s team are likely to dictate any tactics deployed during the race, boasting four of the provisional field of eight – with Stay True and Saratoga also in the mix. Twomey however, is unconcerned about any potential pace angles and remains focused on his stable flagbearer running to his optimum standard on Saturday.

Twomey commented: “I think the horse is pretty uncomplicated. He generally follows any pace, and he saves his best for last. Any Classic or Group 1 is run at a fairly good tempo – I’ve never seen them crawling in a Group 1 yet!”

All the signs indicate quiet confidence from the stable personnel, with the apple of Twomey’s eye looking in fine fettle as he prepares for a first tilt at a Classic.

Looking forward to the trip, Twomey said: “He’s a very good-looking horse but also a fine, tough horse. He’s very uncomplicated to train and is – touch wood – very sound. It would be good if we could make him a Leger winner. We haven’t won a Classic so we’d love to try and win one. He’s a Royal Ascot winner and hasn’t done much wrong in his career, so hopefully he can continue.”

Also without a Classic title to his name is Lee, who will enjoy the highlight of his career thus far should Carmers emerge victorious in South Yorkshire.

He said: “To win the Leger would mean a lot. I’ve been placed in Irish Classics here but never won one, so to win one – that’s where you want to be as a jockey. It would be nice to do it for Paddy.”

Watch all four days of the Betfred St Leger Festival – live on Sky Sports Racing on September 11-14.