The St Leger Stakes Guide 2021

Charlie Appleby is in flying form of late, boasting a 36% strike rate across the last 14 days and a 25% strike rate with 3yo turf runners at Doncaster this season.

William Buick also continued his winning run with 3 winners on the opening day of the Leger festival and boasts a 40% strike rate at Donny this season.

Hurricane Lane is a deserving short priced fav to land the oldest classic after back to back Group 1 wins over 12f in Ireland and France, looking every inch like a Leger horse.

The son of Frankel has won all but one of his 6 career runs to date, with his 3rd placed finish in the Epsom Derby coming down to losing a shoe mid-race; he enters the affair in top form and will take all the beating in this.

Jonny Murtagh brings Irish raider Ottoman Emperor to Doncaster to be competitive in the St Leger.

Murtagh has a 22% strike rate in Ireland with his 3yo turf runners this season, +£30 profitable to a £1 level stake on all those runners.

The son of Excelebration has played his part in those statistics and is currently in great form, rattling off 4 straight wins, improving with each run to land Group 3 spoils last time out at Goodwood in the Gordon Stakes (12f).

He kept on well last time out, just doing enough to see off the ever closing Sir Lucan and he is now stepped up to 14f and Group 1 company to be competitive at Doncaster.

Looks a solid each way option, however I'd be more inclined to look at Sir Lucan given the manner he was closing last time they met and it looks like that form at Goodwood may be reversed over the longer trip based on that evidence.

Richard Hannon is yet to land a Doncaster St Leger and tries his hand in this years renewal with entrant, Mojo Star.

The runner was runner-up in all of his first 3 runs, including in the Group 1 Epsom Derby at 50/1 odds on his third career start, beating Hurricane Lane (3rd) by 3.25 lengths, albeit whilst Hurricane Lane lost both front shoes.

That form was reversed by Hurricane Lane in the Irish Derby when he was 9.25 lengths clear of Mojo Star who finished 5th at the Curragh and the runner was subsequently stepped down to class 3 level in order to finally get off the mark at the 5th time of asking as a 1/6 fav.

The son of Sea The Stars looks sure to improve for the step up to 1m 6f given the manner he has kept on in races, although he still has plenty to find on Hurricane Lane.

Aidan O'Brien has won 2 of the last 4 renewals of the Doncaster St Leger and High Definition heads up a 4 strong hand the trainer puts forward in this years race.

High Definition followed up on a smart 1/2 length victory over placed Group 1 competitor and stable companion, Wordsworth, with a Group 2 win in the Beresford Stakes (8f) on his second career start.

The step up to 10.5f saw him 2 lengths down in 3rd behind the re-opposing Hurricane Lane in the Dante before subsequently running poorly the last twice at the Curragh (10th/11) and York (6th/8) up at 12f.

The son of Galileo remains of interest given his 2yo form and the cheekpieces are now applied in order to spark a revival for the runner.

This will be his first attempt over 1m 6f and he has been supplemented a £50,000 fee from connections in order to run here, giving hope for a big run at the trip.

Frankie Dettori, who boasted a 39% strike rate at Doncaster last season, rides.

Aidan O'Brien's second entrant is Interpretation, equipped with Hollie Doyle in the saddle.

The son of Galileo has improved from a 4th placed debut run bogged down in the mud at the Curragh to land a hattrick of victories in Ireland over 10f, 13f and most recently over 14f at Leopardstown, seeing off re-opposing rival Fernando Vichi in a listed contest.

He shaped like a promising young stayer there, travelling well throughout and found plenty to stay on and see off challengers on the run in to the line.

The 3yo looks sure to improve once more and poses an interesting proposition on his first time step up into Group company.

Another Aidan O'Brien runner in the field, Sir Lucan, looks sure to appreciate the first time step up to 1m 6f given the manner he has kept on in recent runs over 12f.

The son of Camelot landed listed spoils at Navan in May (13f) before subsequently catching the eye when second to re-opposing rival Ottoman Emperor at Goodwood, finishing very strongly in that affair.

He appeared out of sorts in the Voltigeur at York last time out, again keeping on at the line without landing any sort of significant blow on the leaders.

He's expected to bounce back and improve for the new trip and looks a solid each way option in this with a flat galloping track like Doncaster's, expected to suit.

The final Aidan O'Brien runner is The Mediterranean who stepped up from an impressive win in an 18 runner strong field at Leopardstown on his seasonal re-appearance to get within 0.75 lengths of Fernando Vichi next time out in Listed company (12f).

The son of Galileo was bogged down in heavy ground in the King Edward VII stakes at Ascot (12f) and was subsequently 7.25 lengths off the pace behind Hurricane Lane in a French Group 1 on very soft ground next time out, despite a respectable 4th placed finish.

He bounced back with a 2nd placed finish on good ground in the Voltiguer back down at Group 2 level next time out with a number of todays rivals in behind him and that run has given reason to believe an extra 2f trip should suit well given the manner he has kept on in that affair.

Has it all to find to reverse the form with Hurricane Lane, but another fairly solid each way bet all the same if running to form.

Andrew Balding has a 19% strike rate at Doncaster and backing all his runners here across the last 5 season has returned +£59 profit.

The trainer teams up with Tom Marquand and runs Youth Spirit for the St Leger contest who won the Group 3 Chester Vase in May (12.5f).

He was subsequently below form in the Derby (12f) however has bounced back to run well the last twice at Goodwood and York with 4th and 3rd placed finishes, although behind Ottoman Emperor, Sir Lucan and The Mediterranean.

He may improve for the step up to 14f but ultimately looks held here on previous form.

Another Irish raider, Fernando Vichi, represents Donnacha O'Brien in the race and his runner held on well to land the listed Nijinsky Stakes against the Mediterranean back in June at Leopardstown (12f).

The son of Australia was well below form when 9th at the Curragh next time out behind Hurricane Lane and Mojo Star however bounced back when dropped back into Listed company to finish 2nd on his first time step up to 1m 6f.

The employment of Oisin Murphy on board catches the eye, however he ultimately looks to have plenty to find for the step back up into a Group 1.

Ralph Beckett has a respectable 17% strike rate here at Doncaster and backing all his runners here over the past 5 seasons have returned a +£25 profit margin to a £1 level stake.

The trainer runs Scope in the Doncaster St Leger, looking to follow up on his 2015 winner in the race.

The son of Teofilo was no match for the first two in the Listed Lingfield Derby trial in May and was subsequently sidelined until August where he returned with a much improved keeping on 5th in the Voltigeur behind The Mediterranean, Youth Spirit and Sir Lucan.

That was a big step up and he looks entitled to improve again for the increased 14f trip, although he will need to find plenty to be competitive here.