The Weekend Winners panel reconvened to share their leading selections for Saturday’s 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 is led by Enceladus, trained by Joseph O'Brien, while the Ballydoyle stable has two runners in the mix – Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard. Last year’s victorious jockey Tom Marquand will be aboard Amelia Earhart, and Saffie Osborne has been given the mount on Highwayman.
"I’m leaning against Christmas Day and favour Enceladus," one of the analysts explained. "He 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 race. He’s unbeaten in three starts in 2026, having broken his maiden at Cork, then taken the King George VI Stakes at Royal Ascot, before stepping up to Group 3 level and winning the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood over just under a mile and a half.
His performance at Royal Ascot was particularly telling. Some might have dismissed him as a well‑handicapped horse winning on a low weight of 89, but the Gordon Stakes showed he belongs in pattern company, and he finished his race with a powerful late surge. He is by the legendary Sea The Stars, and every indication since he was stretched out in distance points to stamina becoming his dominant attribute rather than sheer speed.
The step up to the St Leger’s mile and six‑and‑a‑half furlongs should suit him perfectly. Comparisons have already been drawn with Galileo Chrome, who also gave Joseph O'Brien a classic win in 2020. As for Christmas Day, I think his Derby win was largely due to the frailties of his rivals and the particular conditions on the day, rather than an outright superiority.
Never miss a story – get the latest racing news, interviews and features straight to your phone. "I’m a Christmas Day backer as well.
Does the favourite really have the form to justify being shorter on the market 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 pull it off in this race, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the betting market flips on the day and we see a surge of support for Christmas Day. Racing round‑up: Almeraq set for an Ascot return on Champions Day.
Today on Sky Sports Racing: Deep Havana and Pilu clash at Yarmouth; Fairy Glen is well fancied in the John Musker Fillies’ Stakes at Yarmouth; Yarmouth’s Eastern Festival kicks off with exciting novice action; Saffie Osborne says many more jockeys like Leger winners just need a chance, according to Kevin Blake; Windsor’s flat season finale headlines Monday’s action. Stay up‑to‑date with the latest horse racing news, interviews and features from Sky Sports Racing. "I view the York run as a stepping stone toward this race – we’ve seen that pattern before. If it rains as it did at Epsom, I have no concerns; he handled that ground well.
I do acknowledge that the Derby form is still a bit of a mystery. The Irish Derby second‑place finish behind Benvenuto Cellini was respectable, and I think this is shaping up to be essentially a two‑horse contest, especially since I’ve lost confidence in Pierre Bonnard throughout the season.
I prefer a horse that has already ticked the big‑day box. "My gut says this is a fairly average renewal of the Leger, and I’m not convinced the two Ballydoyle entries will make massive strides over the longer distance. I like Enceladus, but I wonder why they’ve added cheekpieces – he’s a horse that has often looked raw and behind the bridle, so perhaps they’re trying to tighten him up. Still, over the extended trip you usually want a horse to run freely, not be overly restrained.
That said, he does appear the strongest stayer among the market leaders. "I never imagined I’d become a fan of Amelia Earhart, but with her sex allowance factored in, she’s become intriguing. I’m not certain she’ll be in love with winning, but my own calculations show she’s been improving steadily. She started the season as the favourite for the Oaks after a strong showing in the Cheshire Oaks, only to fall short.
Perhaps she thrives later in the year, when the ground is firmer and the summer heat has faded – she might be returning to her best form now. "They’ve been experimenting with her headgear – blinkers, then a hood, and now everything is off.
Clearly the trainers have identified something they think can be refined. She is a full sister to Cleveland, the Chester Cup winner, so there is proven stamina in her pedigree. Of all the Ballydoyle runners, she is the one most likely to benefit from the longer trip, and if she does, she won’t need to find a huge margin to be placed. I’ll back her to finish in the top three at 11/2.
Watch the full Weekend Winners show on the At The Races YouTube channel for more insight and analysis.