The Weekend Winners panel reconvened to share their leading selections for the upcoming Saturday at the St Leger Festival, with a special focus on the headline Betfred St Leger Stakes, scheduled to start at 3:35 p.m. on Saturday and broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing. At the moment, the market favourite is Enceladus, trained by Joseph O'Brien, while the Ballydoyle stable has two strong contenders in Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard. Last year’s winning jockey Tom Marquand will be aboard Amelia Earhart, and Saffie Osborne is slated to ride Highwayman.
"I’m backing Christmas Day over Enceladus," one pundit explained. "Enceladus was my ante‑post pick because we knew he would head to Doncaster after his Goodwood run.
He possesses a beautifully progressive staying profile, even though he hasn’t yet proved himself in a Classic. He’s unbeaten in three starts in 2026, having captured his maiden at Cork, then 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 Royal Ascot performance turned out to be a key indicator. Some might have dismissed him as a well‑handicapped horse that won on a low weight of 89, but the Gordon Stakes win confirmed he belongs in pattern company, and he finished his race with a powerful closing burst.
Bred by the legendary Sea The Stars, his development since being stretched out in distance suggests stamina is becoming his dominant attribute rather than sheer speed. The St Leger distance of a mile and six‑and‑a‑half furlongs is tailor‑made for that type of stamina.
Comparisons are already being drawn with Galileo Chrome, another O'Brien‑trained winner of the 2020 St Leger. As for Christmas Day, his Derby form was impressive, but that victory may have been aided by a weak field and favourable conditions on the day.
Never miss a story – get the latest racing news, interviews and features straight to your phone. Find out more. "I’m a Christmas Day backer. Does the favourite really have enough form to justify a shorter odds price than Christmas Day?
In my view, I’m not convinced. I can see the appeal of Enceladus – his progressive style – and horses with that profile have succeeded in this race before, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the betting market flips on the day.
I expect some support to swing back to Christmas Day as the race approaches. Today on Sky Sports Racing: Windsor’s flat season finale headlines Monday’s action. St Leger: History‑maker Saffie Osborne fights back tears after Doncaster triumph. Today on Sky Sports Racing: Touleen faces Forty Years On at Doncaster.
Betfred St Leger: Saffie Osborne becomes first woman to win a British Classic as Highwayman lands Doncaster feature. She’s done it! Saffie Osborne makes history on Highwayman in the Leger at Doncaster.
Leger Festival: Desert Castle 6/1 for 2000 Guineas after Champagne Stakes success at Doncaster. See the latest horse racing news, interviews and features from Sky Sports Racing. "I view the York run as a stepping stone to this race – we’ve seen that pattern before.
If the ground turns out as soft as it was at Epsom, I have no concerns; he handled that surface well. The Derby form is still a question mark. The Irish Derby runner‑up behind Benvenuto Cellini was a respectable effort, and I think this will be essentially a two‑horse contest now that I’ve lost confidence in Pierre Bonnard after a season of inconsistency. I prefer the horse that has already checked the box on a big day.
"My instinct tells me this is a fairly average renewal of the Leger, and I’m not convinced the two Ballydoyle entries will make huge strides over the extended trip. Enceladus is appealing, but I wonder why they have fitted cheekpieces – he’s looked raw and a bit unbalanced behind the bridle, so perhaps they’re trying to sharpen his focus.
Still, over the longer distance he appears the strongest stayer among the market leaders. "I can’t believe I’ve come round to Amelia Earhart. With her sex allowance factored in, she becomes an intriguing prospect.
She may not be a outright winner, but my calculations show she’s been improving steadily. She started as the favourite for the Oaks after a solid run in the Cheshire Oaks, only to fall short on the day.
Perhaps she thrives in the cooler autumn weather rather than the firm summer ground, and could be back to her best form now. "They’ve been tinkering with her headgear – blinkers, then a hood, and now everything is off. Clearly the trainers have spotted something they think can be refined for a final push.
She’s a full sister to Cleveland, the Chester Cup victor, so pedigree is there. Over a longer trip, she could be the Ballydoyle horse that benefits most, and if she does, she won’t have a lot of weight to give.
I’ll back her to finish in the top three at 11/2. Watch the full Weekend Winners analysis on the At The Races YouTube channel for deeper insight into each contender and the strategic angles the team is considering as the St Leger approaches.