The United States is marking its 250th year of independence, and at the same time the world’s oldest Classic race – the St Leger – is celebrating a similar milestone. Few sporting contests can boast such a lengthy history, which makes the upcoming renewal at Doncaster all the more intriguing.
Who will emerge victorious on Saturday? First, it is heartening to see the Derby champion Christmas Day entered for the race. Achieving the double – winning both the Derby and the St Leger – is a rare feat; even the great Shergar could manage only a fourth‑place finish in the Leger, and Camelot fell just short of completing the Triple Crown a few years ago.
The St Leger is run over a distance just a furlong and a half shy of two miles, demanding a blend of genuine stamina and a turn of speed. Only a handful of horses have managed to back up a Derby win with a Leger triumph – the most recent being Never Say Die, St Paddy, Nijinsky and Reference Point – so Christmas Day will need to prove his staying power. His main stablemate, Pierre Bonnard, offers a strong challenge, and Aidan O’Brien’s hopes of securing a tenth Leger victory could be tested by his own son, Joseph O’Brien, who trains the race favourite Enceladus. **Jockey: Sean Levey | Trainer: Aidan O’Brien** Action, a close relative of last year’s Derby winner Lambourn, has shown promise in his juvenile career, taking third in the Royal Lodge Stakes and then a commendable second to Hawk Mountain in the Group 1 Futurity.
This season began positively with a fourth‑place finish in the Sandown Classic Trial, followed by a strong run in the Dante at York, where he chased the future Juddmonte star Item. However, his form deteriorated after a reckless ride in the Derby wearing cheekpieces for the first time, and he has since been relegated to a pacemaking role in the Irish Derby, King George, and the Juddmonte. In the latter he failed to break well and was left trailing the field. Given his recent performances and the added distance of the Leger, his prospects look bleak; a little more support from the jockey might be the only way to salvage his run.
**Rider: Rossa Ryan | Trainer: Richard Hannon** Alderman impressed many observers in the Derby, finishing a close fifth (or fourth with a slightly longer stride) just behind Christmas Day and two and a half lengths ahead of Rebel Rocker. Yet he failed to build on that effort in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket, finishing last of five on firm ground.
He remains a five‑race maiden, albeit a talented one, and would benefit from soft ground – any rain this week could be advantageous. Nonetheless, he still has a lot to prove over the Leger distance. **Jockey: Ronan Whelan | Trainer: Aidan O’Brien** Since Lambourn’s fourth‑place finish in last year’s Leger, the race has been waiting for a horse to emulate Reference Point, the last horse to win both the Derby and the Leger in 1987.
Christmas Day appears to have a genuine chance, especially if the Town Moor sees some rain. His Derby victory on soft ground was decisive, beating the Arc‑target Maltese Cross by nearly three lengths – arguably the strongest form on offer. Although he was beaten in the Irish Derby, he fought back to finish a neck behind Benvenuto Cellini and ahead of Pierre Bonnard. The same form line re‑emerged in the Great Voltigeur, where Pierre Bonnard reversed the placings after receiving five pounds from the Derby winner.
Christmas Day has been remarkably consistent throughout the season and seems capable of staying the Leger distance, even if he may not improve further. **Jockey: Billy Loughnane | Trainer: Joseph O’Brien** Enceladus is a big, long‑striding colt who remains unbeaten as a three‑year‑old and appears to improve with each run. His King George V Handicap win at Royal Ascot has been bolstered by a dominant Group 3 Gordon Stakes victory at Goodwood, where he displayed a sharp turn of foot in the final furlong, albeit drifting slightly right – a tendency that led to the addition of cheekpieces for today’s race.
It has been six years since Joseph O’Brien captured his first Leger with Galileo Chrome, and after a season filled with high‑quality performances, he is optimistic about repeating the feat with this son of Sea The Stars. The fact that Enceladus’s half‑brother excelled over a mile and six furlongs adds to the expectations, especially as he arrives fresher than many rivals and may still have room to improve.
Unfortunately, Dylan Brown McMonagle is still recovering from a serious fall at Bellewstown, so Billy Loughnane will don the iconic Niarchos silks. **Jockey: Danny Tudhope | Trainer: Andrew Balding** Andrew Balding’s hopeful, who broke his maiden at Chester’s Boodles May Festival, was fancied for the Queen’s Vase but could only manage sixth behind Limestone.
A respectable second in the Bahrain Trophy hinted at progress, but a heavy defeat in the Great Voltigeur suggested he may have been over‑fancied. Even with newly fitted cheekpieces, turning his fortunes around in the Leger will be a steep climb. **Jockey: Clifford Lee | Trainer: Karl Burke** Among the less‑exposed entries, this runner has won two of his four starts, including a narrow victory over Del Maro in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood. However, his form stalled in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot when he became overly keen and faded in the straight.
His full brother Arabian Force stays a mile and six furlongs, indicating that with better settling and further development, this colt could improve. **Jockey: David Probert | Trainer: Andrew Balding** With a record of one win from six starts, this horse is slowly progressing. His sole victory came over a mile and a half in July, followed by a clear second in a valuable Goodwood handicap. As the lowest‑rated runner in the field, he faces a steep challenge to stay the distance, but recent backing suggests some confidence in his ability to rise to the occasion.
**Jockey: Saffie Osborne | Trainer: Joseph O’Brien** Enceladus’s stablemate appears to be the most intriguing outsider. After an unremarkable start to his career over sprint distances, he posted a striking win at Naas on a mile, then a nine‑length victory over a mile and a half at Killarney, and later captured the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes at Leopardstown over a mile and six furlongs at 22‑1 odds. His high head carriage and strong finish indicate he can stay the Leger trip and may have further potential. Paired with jockey Saffie Osborne, the pair could write a new chapter in the race’s history.
**Jockey: Wayne Lordan | Trainer: Aidan O’Brien** The most seasoned runner in the field, this colt proved his stamina at two by winning the Group 3 Zetland Stakes at Newmarket and the Group 1 Critérium de Saint‑Cloud over a mile and a quarter. After a mixed early season, including a seventh‑place finish in the Derby, he has shown improvement, finishing a neck behind Christmas Day in the Irish Derby and then reversing the form in the Great Voltigeur, giving Maltese Cross a serious challenge. His dam’s half‑sister placed third in the Park Hill, suggesting the stamina pedigree is present, and he should be a strong contender. **Jockey: Jason Watson | Trainer: Faye Bramley** A relatively unknown colt who finished a respectable sixth in the Derby and repeated a similar effort in the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury.
He inherits stamina from his dam’s side, but the Leger will test his limits. **Jockey: Tom Marquand | Trainer: Aidan O’Brien** The sole filly entered, she captured the Listed Cheshire Oaks but has struggled to reproduce that form in Group company, including the Epsom and Curragh Oaks.
A disappointing run in the Lillie Langtry Stakes over a mile and six furlongs raised questions, though she showed improvement in the Give Thanks Stakes back over a mile and a half at Cork. Named after a personal heroine of the writer, she hopes to prove her worth over the classic distance. **Overall outlook** Enceladus arrives on a wave of strong form for Joseph O’Brien, who has enjoyed a superb season. A narrow win could make him the first European Classic victor for the Niarchos family since Study Of Man’s French Derby triumph in 2018, and it would be a second Classic win for jockey Billy Loughnane.
Christmas Day remains a consistent performer and, if the ground softens, may have the edge over Pierre Bonnard, both being sired by the stamina‑rich Camelot. Highwayman looks capable of a solid fourth‑place finish, while the O’Brien stable as a whole appears poised to dominate the race. The Leger promises a thrilling contest of speed, stamina, and tactical acumen, with a rich tapestry of storylines converging on Doncaster’s historic turf.