St Leger nears as Enable and Sprint Cup take centre-stage this weekend

The month of September is upon us as the build-up to the final British Classic of the season, the Group One Pertemps St Leger at Doncaster, continues.
Enable, with Frankie Dettori aboard. Photo by Francesca Altoft/Pool via Getty ImagesEnable, with Frankie Dettori aboard. Photo by Francesca Altoft/Pool via Getty Images
Enable, with Frankie Dettori aboard. Photo by Francesca Altoft/Pool via Getty Images

There is a new favourite for the 14-furlong event with recent Great Voltigeur winner Pyledriver (11/4) heading the market for William Muir. The three-year-old only cost £10,000 but recorded a second Group-race victory of the year with an emphatic three and a half-length victory at York. He is set to be ridden in the contest by Muir’s son-in-law Martin Dwyer.

Another horse to enter the St Leger reckoning is Subjectivist (12/1 ) for Mark Johnston. He ran out an emphatic 15-length winner of the G3 March Stakes at Goodwood last weekend in one of the easiest victories you will see all year. He was bred by Matchroom Chairman and sports promoter Barry Hearn’s wife Susan. He bids to emulate his half-brother Sir Ron Priestly who was second in the 2019 running of the St Leger, having also landed the March Stakes en-route to Town Moor.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Aidan O’Brien has confirmed that Santiago (3/1) is on course for the St Leger. Successful in the Irish Derby last season, he was third to Stradivarius in the Goodwood Cup on his latest start. He could be ridden by Frankie Dettori on Town Moor following the news that Ryan Moore will miss the meeting to ride in Ireland at the Irish Champions Weekend event at Leopardstown and the Curragh.

Another jockey who will miss the entirety of the four-day St Leger Festival is Oisin Murphy. He will be serving a seven-day ban for careless riding which he picked up at Ayr last month. He currently heads the standings in the race to retain his champion jockey title.

Tyson Fury (50/1) created a big impression at Doncaster on his debut in July and is firmly on course for the St Leger. Named after the current lineal heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Owner Phil Cunningham is expecting plenty of improvement to come from his exciting prospect who remains thoroughly unexposed after just one run.

Current Pertemps St Leger Betting: 11/4 Pyledriver; 3/1 Santiago; 7/2 Hukum; 10/1 English King; 11/1 Tiger Moth; 12/1 Subjectivist; 14/1 Serpentine; 16/1 Mogul, Military March, Al Aasy, Delphi & Dawn Patrol; 20/1 Bar

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Away from the St Leger, this weekend also sees the return to action of Racing’s Queen, the John Gosden-trained Enable.

She is the 1/6 favourite as she targets a second victory in the Group Three September Stakles (2.35pm) at Kempton. She recorded a 10th Group One win in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last time out and this looks set to be her final start in Britain before a tilt at history and a record-breaking third win in the Group One Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October. It will be a pleasure to see her in action again. The other big race is the £225,000 Group One Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock. Staged over six furlongs, the contest is live on ITV Racing at 3.25pm.

The market for the 13-runner contest is headed by Dream Of Dreams (11/4) who bids to cement an easy win in the G2 Hungerford Stakes last time out and looks sure to be suited by testing ground.

Hello Youmzain (3/1) is bidding to become just the second horse to win two runnings of the G1 event. He was successful last year for Kevin Ryan and has already enjoyed further top-level success this year in the G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Golden Horde (9/2) has run two fine races in defeat at G1 level having previously captured the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, whilst Art Power (13/2) should improve for his first start in G1 company when sixth to Battaash in the Nunthorpe Stakes last time out. Lope Y Fernandez has plenty of solid Group One form and is another to consider with this trip likely to suit.

Tabdeed (8/1) is unexposed for Owen Burrows and come into this on the back of a good win at Newbury last time out, whilst The Tin Man (20/1) has form figures of first, second, second and third in this race and is therefore of interest.

Finally, the race also sees rising star Hollie Doyle, who partnered eight winners last weekend, enjoy her first ride in a G1 race in Britain aboard recent G3 winner Glen Shiel (12/1).

Last weekend’s NAP Make A Challenge easily justified favourtitism and Megallan should be very hard to beat in the 12:45pm at Ascot on Saturday. He bolted up on debut and is a Derby entry. His sire Golden Horn won that race and he looks a very exciting prospect for John Gosden whose horses are in irresistible form at present.

Weekend NAP: 12:45pm: Ascot (Saturday): Megallan

Odds and tips via MyBettingSites

Related topics: