Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Who are the outside picks for the St. Leger?

The St Leger is fast approaching, as the British Classic season comes to a close. The final Classic of the season in Britain is to take place on September 11th, at Doncaster, as the best three-year-olds compete for the oldest classic prize in the world.

The betting markets are already dominated by some of the biggest stars of the season, with Hurricane Lane and Derby winner Adayar among the leading chances. But, could there potentially be some value in the market with some bigger priced selections?

Wordsworth

Aidan O’Brien is surprisingly one of the leading trainers at the St Leger, as he has won this race on six previous occasions. However, it has been three years since his last success in the Classic, as his 2018 win with Kew Gardens remains his most recent.

One horse that he would have certainly had high hopes for this season would have been Wordsworth, but to this point, he has been slightly disappointing. His season started with a success at The Curragh, but that remains the only win that he has picked up this season.

He finished second in the G2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot in June, while he was also the runner-up in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris. Wordsworth was also third in the G1 Irish Derby, behind both Lone Eagle and Hurricane Lane.

However, his most disappointing run came in the recent Irish St Leger Trial Stakes at The Curragh where he was favourite but finished in fifth. Regardless, he still has the ability and should be a leading contender.

Save A Forest

Save A Forest was a horse that many were heralding as a potential dark horse three-year-old that could go under the radar this season. However, she could yet have her eyes on the biggest prize of all this season after a string of fairly impressive showings.

She was fourth in the Epsom Oaks back in June, despite being set off at a huge price of 40/1. It is likely that she will be a similar price once again if connections opt for the St Leger, but she could come into the big Classic with a win under her belt if she heads straight there from Newmarket.

Save A Forest was very impressive on her last start at Newmarket, as she won by half a length from Sayyida in the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Chalice Stakes. She is hard to rule out, and could be a contender to give Roger Varian a second St Leger victory.

Yesyes

This Ralph Beckett-trained three-year-old filly has been one of the big market movers for the St Leger over recent weeks, as she has been cut from 40/1 to 25/1.

She tasted defeat for the first time in the race that was won by Save A Forest at Newmarket in late July, but she has still won three times this calendar year. She started her career with an emphatic two and a quarter length victory at Haydock, before that was followed up with another impressive showing at Lingfield in the middle of July.

Yesyes’s price for the St Leger increased after defeat at Newmarket, but she showed just how talented she is when returning with a victory at Chester in the listed Stella Artois Chester Stakes on August 21st.

On that occasion, she beat Dancing King by the narrowest of margins, as she stayed on strongly under the threat of the eventual runner-up. She may not be the most obvious St Leger winner, but she has proven so far this season that she has all the class to at least lay down a challenge.

There you have it, some interesting picks for St. Legers. You can bet on the event on TwinSpires.com, along with other horse racing events, happening in other places in the world.

For example, bet on Tampa Bay Downs races online with TwinSpires.com and get to know the best odds for US racing.

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