The Weekend Winners panel reconvened to share their premier selections for the upcoming Saturday at the St Leger Festival, focusing especially on the headline Betfred St Leger Stakes, slated for a 3:35 pm start on Saturday and broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing. Among the contenders, Enceladus currently leads the betting market for trainer Joseph O'Brien, while the Ballydoyle stable has two strong entries: Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard.
Last year’s victorious jockey Tom Marquand will be aboard Amelia Earhart, and Saffie Osborne has been assigned the mount on Highway Man. "I’m not convinced about Christmas Day versus Enceladus," the analyst began.
"Enceladus was my ante‑post pick because we knew he would head to Doncaster after his Goodwood campaign. He possesses a classic, progressive staying profile rather than having already proved himself in top‑class classics. He’s three‑for‑three in 2026, having broken his maiden at Cork, then captured the King George VI Stakes at Royal Ascot, before stepping up to Group 3 level to win the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood over just under a mile and a half. His performance at Royal Ascot proved decisive – you might have dismissed him as merely a well‑handicapped horse winning on a low weight of 89, but the Gordon Stakes showed he belongs in pattern company, and he finished the race with a powerful finish.
Bred from the Sea The Stars line, his development since moving up in distance suggests stamina is becoming his dominant attribute rather than outright speed. The St Leger distance of one mile and six‑and‑a‑half furlongs is tailor‑made for him. Comparisons have been drawn with Galileo Chrome, who O’Brien also trained to win the race in 2020. As for Christmas Day, his Derby win was largely due to a weak field and favourable conditions that day, not necessarily indicative of superior class.
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"I’m backing Christmas Day," he continued, "but does the favourite really have the form to merit a shorter distance than Christmas Day? In my view, I’m not entirely convinced. I can see the appeal of Enceladus – his progressive nature – and you do get horses that can sustain that in this race, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the market flips on race day and we see some backing for Christmas Day as well." The discussion then shifted to other Ballydoyle runners.
"Hollie Doyle could give the Doncaster Cup to Ballydoyle for the first time since 2008," one commentator noted, while another highlighted Musical Times, who is currently priced at 6/1 for the 1000 Guineas after a dominant display in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster. Charlie Appleby praised Musical Times as a serious classic contender following a convincing Doncaster romp, and Mike Cattermole offered a detailed runner‑by‑runner guide for the St Leger. Additional headlines included Waardah’s impressive win in the Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes and a reminder to follow Sky Sports Racing for the latest horse‑racing updates.
"I view the York run as a stepping stone toward this race – we’ve seen that pattern before. If the ground turns out as soft as it was at Epsom, I have no concerns; Enceladus handled that surface well. The Irish Derby second‑place finish behind Benvenuto Cellini was respectable, and I think this will be essentially a two‑horse contest, especially after my confidence in Pierre Bonnard waned over the season.
I prefer a horse that has already ticked the big‑day box," the panelist explained. However, another voice expressed caution: "My gut says this is a fairly average renewal of the Leger, and I’m not sure the two Ballydoyle entries will make huge strides over the longer trip. I like Enceladus, but I’m puzzled by the addition of cheekpieces – he’s already looked raw behind the bridle, so perhaps they’re trying to sharpen his focus.
Still, when you stretch a horse out, you generally don’t want to over‑stimulate him. That said, he does appear the strongest stayer among the market leaders." The conversation then turned to Amelia Earhart, a horse that has recently captured the panel’s imagination. "I can’t believe I’ve come around to backing Amelia Earhart.
When you factor in her sex allowance, she becomes a very intriguing prospect. She may not be a guaranteed winner, but my calculations show she’s been improving steadily. She started the season as the favourite for the Oaks after a solid showing in the Cheshire Oaks, yet she fell short in that race. Perhaps she thrives in the cooler autumn months rather than the firm summer ground, and this could be her moment to return to peak form." The team noted that her equipment has been tweaked repeatedly – blinkers, then a hood, and now everything has been removed – suggesting the trainers have been searching for the right combination to unlock her potential.
"She’s a full sister to Cleveland, who captured the Chester Cup, so she has proven stamina in her pedigree. Of all the Ballydoyle horses, she should benefit most from the extended distance, and if she does, she won’t need to carry a massive weight. I’ll back her to finish in the top three at 11/2 odds." In summary, the Weekend Winners experts see Enceladus as a strong contender with a clear staying pedigree, Christmas Day as a potentially underrated favorite, and Amelia Earhart as a dark horse with improving form and a suitable distance profile.
They advise bettors to watch for market movements on race day, especially regarding equipment changes and the impact of ground conditions. For a full analysis and live updates, viewers can watch the Weekend Winners program on the At The Races YouTube channel.