Big Race Preview · Saturday, 12 September 2026
Betfred St Leger
First staged in 1776, the St Leger is the oldest of Britain’s five Classics and provides the final major test of the season for the three year old generation. Its roll of honour features some of the most celebrated names in Flat racing, including Ballymoss, Oh So Sharp, Nijinsky, Reference Point and Kew Gardens, while Aidan O’Brien has dominated more recent renewals and arrives seeking a fourth consecutive victory in the race.
O’Brien again holds a powerful hand, headed by Derby winner Christmas Day and Great Voltigeur runner up Pierre Bonnard, while his son Joseph saddles the rapidly progressive Enceladus. Those three dominate the betting and appear to set a clear standard for the remainder of the 11 runner field.
Stephen Welch
Racing Tipster
Stephen WelchBetfred St Leger Stakes (Group 1)3:35 DONCASTER
3:35 Doncaster
Betfred St Leger Stakes (Group 1)
1m6½f | Class 1 | Good To Soft
Betfred St Leger Runner Guide
Pierre Bonnard 4/1
Wayne Lordan/A P O'Brien
PIERRE BONNARD has yet to win this season, but his recent performances suggest he has been building towards a race such as this. A Group 1 winner as a juvenile, the Camelot colt endured a disappointing Derby before producing a much stronger performance in the Irish Derby. He finished third at the Curragh, only a neck behind Christmas Day and two lengths behind winner Benvenuto Cellini, firmly re establishing himself among the better middle distance colts of his generation. His Great Voltigeur performance strengthened that impression. Pierre Bonnard chased home Maltese Cross at York and finished two and a quarter lengths ahead of Christmas Day, staying on strongly after the winner had made the decisive move. The 5lbs he received from his stablemate has to be acknowledged, particularly now that they meet at level weights, but there was still plenty to like about the performance. The most compelling aspect of his St Leger challenge is the additional distance. Pierre Bonnard can take time to organise himself and has occasionally raced in stages rather than travelling smoothly throughout, but Doncaster should allow him more opportunity to build momentum. The long home straight is particularly appealing for a colt who appears stronger at the finish than when the tempo initially increases. His pedigree provides further encouragement. By Camelot, himself denied the Triple Crown when second in this race in 2012, Pierre Bonnard has already shown enough over a mile and a half to suggest another two and a half furlongs could unlock further improvement. An official rating of 116 leaves him only 2lbs behind Christmas Day and confirms he already possesses the ability required to play a major role. The challenge is turning a sequence of excellent placed efforts into victory, but the St Leger may provide the circumstances he has been waiting for.
Christmas Day 9/4
Ronan Whelan/A P O'Brien
CHRISTMAS DAY brings the strongest piece of form into the race after winning the Derby at Epsom in June. The son of Camelot relished the step up to a mile and a half and soft ground that afternoon, powering through demanding conditions to score by two and three quarter lengths. Crucially, he subsequently demonstrated that Epsom was not simply a product of testing ground. Christmas Day finished second to Benvenuto Cellini in the Irish Derby on a much quicker surface, with Pierre Bonnard only a neck behind in third. Those two Classic performances establish him as one of the leading three year old middle distance colts of the season. His third in the Great Voltigeur at York was less impressive at first glance. Maltese Cross won convincingly, while Pierre Bonnard finished two and a quarter lengths ahead of Christmas Day in second. There are mitigating circumstances, however. Christmas Day carried a 5lbs penalty at York and Aidan O’Brien has made clear that the race was intended as a stepping stone towards Doncaster. That weight difference disappears here and Christmas Day therefore meets Pierre Bonnard on 5lbs better terms. He also shapes like a colt who should have little difficulty coping with the additional distance. His Derby success came in a demanding race on soft ground, while the good to soft conditions at Doncaster should hold no fears. No Derby winner has completed the Derby and St Leger double since Reference Point in 1987. Christmas Day has the credentials to end that 39 year wait and understandably sets the standard.
Enceladus 7/2
Billy Loughnane/Joseph Patrick O'Brien
Live price from Bet Victor
If there is a runner capable of improving beyond the established Classic performers, ENCELADUS is the obvious candidate. Joseph O’Brien’s colt began the campaign by winning a Cork maiden before taking the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot. He arrived there from a handicap mark of 89 and continued his rapid progression when successfully moving into Group company in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. That Goodwood performance established him as a genuine St Leger contender. Enceladus displayed more speed than he had previously while still finishing his race strongly, offering plenty of encouragement that the move beyond a mile and a half will suit. As a son of Sea The Stars, there is also plenty in his profile to suggest the longer distance can produce further improvement. He does have something to find with Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard on established form. His official rating of 112 is 6lbs below Christmas Day and 4lbs below Pierre Bonnard, while this represents his first attempt at Group 1 level. First time cheekpieces are also introduced as connections search for another step forward. Those are significant questions at a relatively short price, but Enceladus has progressed sufficiently quickly that his current rating may underestimate him. He arrives unbeaten in three starts this season and remains far less exposed than the two Ballydoyle colts around him in the market.
Highwayman 12/1
Saffie Osborne/Joseph Patrick O'Brien
Live price from Dragon Bet
HIGHWAYMAN gives Joseph O’Brien a fascinating second string and is arguably the most interesting runner outside the leading three. He has been transformed by longer distances, following a nine length Killarney maiden victory with success in the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes at Leopardstown. That latest win came over approximately this trip, so stamina is already proven and he was still showing signs of inexperience. His official rating of 101 leaves him with considerable improvement to find, but he remains an unexposed stayer and could be capable of better again.
Hatteen 66/1
Faleh Bughanaim/Andrew Balding
Live price from Bet Victor
HATTEEN already has winning form at Doncaster, having landed a valuable novice over almost a mile and a half by more than four lengths. He subsequently went down by only a head to Infraad in a strong Goodwood handicap, with that form boosted when the winner landed the Melrose at York. Andrew Balding’s colt is clearly progressing, but this represents a substantial jump from handicap company into a Classic and the longer trip remains an unknown.
Golden Story 40/1
Clifford Lee/K. R. Burke
GOLDEN STORY is an intriguing outsider on his best form. Karl Burke’s colt won on soft ground at Doncaster as a juvenile and subsequently landed the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood, but he raced far too freely when well beaten in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. He has been given 85 days since that performance and clearly possesses ability, although settling properly will be essential if he is to see out this considerably longer distance.
Galiyan 40/1
Daniel Tudhope/Andrew Balding
GALIYAN had looked progressive before his Great Voltigeur run, having finished sixth in the Queen’s Vase and then gone within half a length of winning the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket. He was beaten 21 lengths at York, however and has plenty to prove after that performance. First time cheekpieces are introduced and the return to a longer distance may help, but he needs to leave his latest effort well behind.
Rebel Rocker 80/1
Jason Watson/Faye Bramley
REBEL ROCKER has acquitted himself respectably despite being repeatedly pitched into strong company. He outran odds of 66/1 when sixth behind Christmas Day at Epsom and subsequently finished fourth against older opposition in the Geoffrey Freer. The extra distance and easier ground should suit, but his existing form suggests he lacks the class of the leading contenders.
Alderman 66/1
Rossa Ryan/Richard Hannon
Live price from Bet Victor
ALDERMAN remains a maiden but his fifth behind Christmas Day in the Derby gives him more credible top level form than several of the outsiders. He was well beaten in the Bahrain Trophy afterwards, although Richard Hannon felt the fast ground was against his sizeable colt. Good to soft conditions should be preferable and the longer distance looks likely to suit, but he still needs a significant career best to threaten the principals.
Amelia Earhart 28/1
Tom Marquand/A P O'Brien
AMELIA EARHART receives 3lbs from the colts and could prove more competitive than some of her recent form suggests. She looked a potentially high class filly when winning the Cheshire Oaks before disappointing badly at Epsom and struggling to regain that level through the summer. Her latest second behind Believed at Cork was more encouraging, particularly as she did her best work late and Aidan O’Brien expects the longer distance to suit. A revival is required, but this different test could bring one.
Action 70/1
Sean Levey/A P O'Brien
ACTION completes Aidan O’Brien’s quartet and may prove important primarily from a tactical perspective. His second to Item in the Dante showed considerable ability earlier in the season, but four heavy defeats at Group 1 level have followed and he has frequently been used to ensure a genuine pace for better fancied stablemates. Similar tactics would make sense at Doncaster.
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The verdict
The market has concentrated on three horses and there are strong arguments for each. Christmas Day possesses the outstanding Classic form, Enceladus brings the greatest potential for improvement and Pierre Bonnard arrives after two performances which suggest he is getting closer to his peak.
Christmas Day is particularly difficult to dismiss. His Derby victory remains the strongest individual piece of form in the field, he backed it up in the Irish Derby and he is entitled to improve from his Great Voltigeur return. The 5lbs swing with Pierre Bonnard from York also gives him an obvious opportunity to reverse their latest form.
Enceladus presents a different challenge. He lacks the Group 1 achievements of the Ballydoyle pair but has improved rapidly through the season and victory in the Gordon Stakes confirmed he belongs in this company. If the St Leger distance produces another significant step forward, he could easily prove better than his current rating of 112.
However, PIERRE BONNARD appeals as the most attractive option at the prices. His Derby performance increasingly looks like an outlier when measured against what he has achieved since. At the Curragh he finished just two lengths behind Benvenuto Cellini in the Irish Derby and only a neck behind Christmas Day, before reversing form with the Derby winner when runner up to Maltese Cross in the Great Voltigeur.
The revised weights undoubtedly favour Christmas Day compared with York, but Pierre Bonnard's chance is built around the possibility that this significantly longer test will bring about further improvement. He has repeatedly shaped as though a mile and a half is not the limit of his stamina, while the way he has finished his races suggests the extended one mile and six furlongs at Doncaster should be firmly within his ability.
There is also something about the nature of the track that should suit. Pierre Bonnard is not always immediate when asked to quicken, but once balanced he keeps finding and Doncaster's long home straight gives Wayne Lordan ample opportunity to gradually build his challenge.
Christmas Day may have achieved more and Enceladus may have greater untapped potential, but Pierre Bonnard offers an appealing combination of proven Group 1 ability, improving recent form and the prospect of being better suited by the St Leger distance than anything he has encountered this season.
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