Horse Racing Picks: St Leger Stakes Prediction, Preview, and Odds (Sep 16)
- Final British Classic of the season takes place at Doncaster on Saturday
- The Group 1 is the oldest of the five Classics on the British calendar
Another year of horse racing action on the flat is winding down, but there is still one Classic yet to be staged. The St Leger is the oldest of the British Classics, and has been staged since 1776. This yearโs race is a fascinating renewal, with horses aged three set to compete over a mile and six furlongs.
Schedule and How To Watch
- When: Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 10:35 p.m. ET
- Where: Doncaster Racecourse, England
- How To Watch: FanDuel TV
St Leger Stakes Odds
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Arrest | +300 |
| Continuous | +400 |
| Gregory | +400 |
| Desert Hero | +500 |
| Middle Earth | +800 |
| Tower Of London | +1100 |
| Chesspiece | +1200 |
| Alexandraoupolis | +2500 |
| Denmark | +5000 |
Latest odds taken from an offshore sportsbook
Race Preview
The St Leger Stakes is the final leg of the British Triple Crown, with the field of horses aged three competing over a distance of a mile and six furlongs at Doncaster. However, no winners of the 2,000 Guineas of Derby will be involved this weekend, meaning that the wait for a Triple Crown winner in the United Kingdom continues.
Frankie Dettori has been in the headlines more than most this week, as punters have been waiting to see where his allegiance lies in the Group 1 this weekend. However, the Italian maestro will ride Arrest, meaning that confidence in Gregory has eased slightly in the betting.
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Ground conditions look ideal for Arrest this weekend, as he has excellent form on ground softer than good. His standout win came in the G3 Chester Vase on soft, beating Adelaide River by over six lengths. He was also excellent over an extended mile and five in the G3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury in August, beating Ching Shih by over a length.
Gregory remains a horse of interest this weekend for trainer John & Thady Gosden. The three-year-old suffered a first career defeat over a mile and four in the G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, finishing over four lengths behind Continuous. However, a return to a mile and six will likely bring back the best out of him, as he was last seen over the distance scoring at Royal Ascot in the G2 Queenโs Vase.
St Leger Stakes Prediction
Dettoriโs decision to step off Gregory is fascinating, but it could be easy to argue that he remains the best three-year-old in this race. However, we will be siding with Desert Hero, to give King Charles a first Classic win, and the first since the death of Queen Elizabeth. Tom Marquand once again takes the ride, and there is every suggestion that this runner could improve over the distance after finishing quickly to land back-to-back wins over a mile and four at Royal Ascot and Goodwood, respectively.
Free Pick:
