It’s the world’s oldest classic but the St Leger has had its detractors down the years. No-one can complain about this quality or quantity of this year’s line-up at Doncaster, however – one of the best in years.
St Leger History
Aidan O’Brien has won the St Leger four times previously with Milan (2001), Brian Boru (2003), Scorpion (2005) and Leading Light (2013) – he has four of the 11 runners this year including current joint favourite Capri. He won the Irish Derby at the Curragh in the summer ahead of Cracksman, who has won two Group 2 races since. That’s arguably the best form in the race, though O’Brien is also hoping for a good run from Venice Beach, who was second behind Cracksman in the Great Voltigeur at York, which is normally the best trial for the St Leger.
The William Hill St Leger is the oldest Classic in the world having first been staged in 1776. The race is named after sportsman and gambler Anthony St Leger, who lived at Park Hill near Doncaster and had the idea of a race for three-year-olds, with colts carrying 8st and fillies 7st 12lb, over two miles.
A field of six lined up for the inaugural St Leger with an unnamed filly by Sampson (later called Allabaculia), owned by Prime Minister the Marquess of Rockingham, beating Colonel St Leger’s unnamed filly by Trusty.
The Classic did not have a title until 1778, when Rockingham proposed that it should carry St Leger’s name, and the same year the event moved to the present site on Doncaster’s Town Moor, with the first two runnings having been staged on nearby Cantley Common.
Trainer/jockey John Mangle, known as ‘Crying Jackie’ for his habit of bursting into tears when beaten, won it five times in the 18th century. Champion, in 1800, became the first Derby winner to go on to St Leger glory, helping enhance the race’s stature. The distance was shortened to one mile, six furlongs and 193 yards in 1813.
West Australian became the first winner of the Triple Crown in 1853, a feat that only 14 other horses have achieved since, most recently Nijinsky in 1970. The legendary Ormonde was one of Fred Archer’s six St Leger winners. The First World War saw the St Leger run at Newmarket from 1915-1918, while during the Second World War it took place at Thirsk in 1940, Manchester in 1941, Newmarket from 1942-1944 and at York in 1945. The only year the St Leger was not staged was 1939 but it was moved temporarily to Ayr in 1989, when the ground was considered unfit on Town Moor, and to York in 2006 when Doncaster was being redeveloped.
Lester Piggott won the Classic eight times but none of his winners was better than the Vincent O’Brien-trained Nijinsky in 1970. Masked Marvel set a new course record in 2011, handing trainer John Gosden a third victory in five years and a fourth in all. Gosden’s other successes came courtesy of Shantou (1996), Lucarno (2007) and Arctic Cosmos (2010) and the Newmarket maestro saddles Stradivarius and Coronet this year.
Stradivarius is a best 8/1 but has no stamina concerns. He won the Queen’s Vase over 1m6f at Ascot and followed up over 2m against top-class stayers in the Goodwood Cup. However, Frankie Dettori had the choice between him and the filly Coronet and has gone for the latter. She’s more likely to handle the soft ground and has been unlucky to come up against the brilliant Enable on three occasions this year. In between, she won the Ribblesdale at Ascot so is no forlorn hope at the same general 8/1 as her stable companion.
Crystal Ocean has been all the rage since winning the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, another traditional St Leger trial. He represents Sir Michael Stoute but the veteran Newmarket handler often has a fancied runner in the race and has only won it once before, with Conduit in 2008. The Sea The Stars colt (a best 4/1) should stay the distance and is unlikely to be far away but doesn’t have that much in hand over Raheen House, a far more attractive 12/1, on their run together in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Andrea Atzeni has been nicknamed ‘Mr Doncaster’ as he rides this galloping track as well as anyone. He may get rechristened ‘Mr St Leger’ if he wins this Saturday’s classic on DEFOE. The Italian jockey rode the winner of the great race in both 2014 and 2015. The first of those came on Kingston Hill for trainer Roger Varian and the latter is also responsible for this year’s mount.
Defoe started off this season in handicaps but has evolved into a top-class middle-distance performer, especially when the word ‘soft’ features in the going report. He’s won all four starts this year but really made everyone sit up and take notice when beating a couple of subsequent winners in a Listed race at Hamilton in July with the proverbial ton in hand. He then took on older horses over 1m5f in the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer at Newbury and again won with plenty in hand. The St Leger is clearly another step up in class but he looks more than capable of holding his own with conditions and distance in his favour – the general 9/2 is giving nothing away but he could end up favourite on the day if there is any more rain.
William Hill are one of the most well-known bookmakers and have taken over sponsorship of the St Leger for the first time this year.
William Hill St Leger Current Best Odds
Crystal Ocean and Capri (4/1), Defoe (9/2), Coronet and Stradivarius (8/1), Rekindling, Venice Beach and Raheen House (12/1), Count Octave (25/1), Douglas Macarthur (40/1), The Anvil (66/1)
