Doncaster St Leger 2021 Preview

It's the final flat classic of the season on Saturday, with the St Leger Stakes at Doncaster. The race is the longest classic, and often a pointer towards the horses that we may see in the staying division next year and beyond.

The trip of 1m6f will test these three year olds, though given many of them will come here with doubts over stamina, it is often a race that is ran steadily, to aid those runners, which is certainly something to bear in mind.

Here is a look at the race, featuring the main contenders plus our pick.

St Leger Preview

There is nowhere else to start other than with odds-on favourite for the race, Hurricane Lane. He’s ran five times this year, winning four of them and his only defeat came in the Epsom Derby where he finished third.

His most recent two wins have both come in Group 1 company, at Longchamp in France and in the Irish Derby at The Curragh. In terms of setting the standard, Hurricane Lane certainly does that, though he is short in the betting, and for that reason we are happy to look elsewhere for an each way alternative, even though he looks the most likely winner.

Ottoman Emperor looks to have a bright future, but given his profile, we are more than happy to leave him out. He’s only ever ran once over 1m4f, his other races have been over shorter, which brings stamina doubts into play and he’s only won at Group 3 level, this is a big step up.

Mojo Star has ran well in group contests, but had to drop into maiden company to get a win and High Definition has been one of the most disappointing runners of the entire season, so both are also passed over.

This leads us to our selection, an up and coming improver who could well have a lot more to offer. On top of that, he’s proven at this trip, having won over it last time out. He lacks the group quality that some have shown, but certainly looks like a horse that can make up into a group class stayer of the future.

The horse is Interpretation for the Aidan O’Brien team, who has won all three of his starts this season. The first was a maiden over shorter but the way he won well over 1m5f and 1m6f in his last two starts shows that he is one just a few in the field who will definitely get this trip and enjoy the test.

He shapes as though there is more to come, and to be honest, there will need to be more if he is to get involved here. However, that likely improvement, his stamina and the odds on offer make him our pick against the field here, as an each way selection, but ready to pounce should Hurricane Lane not run to the best of his form.

St Leger Predictions

• Interpretation EW – 16/1 with bet365