The favourites for the St Leger

The 2023 flat racing season is reaching its business end. Excitement is starting to build for the grand finale, British Champions Day at Ascot on October 21. The early entries are out, and Frankie Dettori has confirmed that the showcase meeting will be his last time riding in Europe.

But there are still plenty of key events to come between now and then, notably the St Leger Festival at Doncaster on 14-17 September. The St Leger itself is the highlight race of the meeting and is the fifth and final British Classic of the season.

At a gruelling distance of one mile, six-and-a-half-furlongs, the St Leger is the longest of the Classics, and the old saying goes: “The fastest horse wins the Guineas, the luckiest the Derby — and the best horse wins the St Leger.”

That said, read on as we take a look at some of the horses being backed in the ante-post market on Paddy Powerto land the spoils for their respective trainers and connections at Doncaster on September 16.

Gregory – 9/4

Those who have followed this flat racing season closely thus far will not be surprised to see Gregory at the fore of the market. Of course, with this being his last season in the saddle, Dettori’s mounts have been well-backed for the Classics by the punters. Having won the 2000 Guineas and the Oaks already this season, the bookmakers aren’t taking any chances and have already made Gregory as short as 9/4.

Dettori is a huge factor in that price, but Gregory does deserve merit for being made the favourite as well. The John and Thady Gosden-trained horse is unbeaten in his three races to date — winning a Novice Stakes at Haydock on debut before stepping up to Listed company at Goodwood in May. It was at Royal Ascot that he made his biggest statement yet, however, winning the Group 2 Queen’s Vase over a mile and six furlongs.

The son of Golden Horn looks set to go to the York Ebor meeting for the Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) and a win there would surely see his odds shorten further.

Savethelastdance – 7/2

It would be foolish to overlook a runner from the esteemed Ballydoyle and master trainer Aidan O’Brien will be looking for his second British Classic of the season in the St Leger — a race he has won six times since 2001 — after Auguste Rodin recovered from a disappointing 2000 Guineas display to win the Derby at Epsom.

Prized filly Savethelastdance is the Irishman’s best chance in this year’s St Leger, according to the betting market. She won a Fillies Maiden from 20/1 on reappearance at Leopardstown in April and followed that up with a dominating display at in the Listed Chesire Oaks, winning by some 22 lengths from second-place There’s The Door.

That commanding win set her up for a crack at Epsom Oaks and she set off as the 5/6 favourite, but was comfortably beaten by Dettori’s ride Soul Sister. Savethelastdance was back in the winner’s enclosure last time out, however, getting back on track with a win in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh. This will be a step up in distance by over two furlongs, but she should stay and the fillies’ allowance could be a big difference.

Desert Hero – 6/1

How good would it be to see a royal winner of the St Leger? Well, there’s a good chance we might as Desert Hero looks on course to represent His Majesty King Charles and Her Majesty Queen Camilla in this year’s renewal of the Classic.

The royal silks are no stranger to being donned by the winner of a Classic, with Queen Elizabeth winning all but the Derby during her lifetime, but it would be a poignant moment for Charles should Desert Hero — a horse handed down to him by his mother — win the St Leger.

We all saw how much it meant to him when Tom Marquand delivered the first Royal Ascot winner of his reign aboard the William Haggas-trained horse in the King George V Stakes and they have since followed up with a win in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. Desert Hero has a really good chance here and he could be worth backing at 6/1 — or 7.0 if you need to use an odds converter to work out the decimal odds.