St Leger 2026: preview and best bets
Christmas Day heads the market by default, but the horse who beat him at York won’t even be there to prove it.
The 250th St Leger goes off at 15:40 on Saturday over Doncaster’s extended mile and six. With final declarations due Thursday, this is a market shaped as much by who isn’t there as by who is.
The favourite with a question mark
Christmas Day, trained by Aidan O’Brien and winner of the Epsom Derby, heads the betting at around 7/4. He was runner-up in the Irish Derby before finishing third in the Great Voltigeur at York, behind Maltese Cross and Pierre Bonnard.
Two runs without a win raise a genuine question over whether he is quite good enough to confirm Classic favouritism on Saturday.
No Triple Crown storyline this year
Christmas Day’s Derby win inevitably brings up the Triple Crown angle, but no horse in this field arrives with a Guineas and Derby double behind them this year, so the talk stays purely historical for another season. The last horse to complete it was Nijinsky, back in 1970, and the drought remains very much intact heading into the 250th running.
The chasers
Pierre Bonnard, also trained by O’Brien, was runner-up behind Maltese Cross at York and third in the Irish Derby. That form makes him the pick among the chasing group, at around 3/1.
Enceladus, trained by Joseph O’Brien, arrives unbeaten this season after wins in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. He sits second favourite at around 11/4.
The rest of the field
Hatteen and Highwayman share the next line of the market, with Amelia Earhart the only filly left in. Alderman, Galiyan and Piazza San Marco make up the middle of the field. Golden Story, Rebel Rocker and Action complete the twelve still standing.
More than half the remaining field comes from the O’Brien family stables between Aidan and Joseph.
Full field and prices
| Horse | Trainer | Best price |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Day | Aidan O’Brien | 7/4 |
| Enceladus | Joseph O’Brien | 11/4 |
| Pierre Bonnard | Aidan O’Brien | 3/1 |
| Hatteen | Andrew Balding | 14/1 |
| Highwayman | Joseph O’Brien | 14/1 |
| Amelia Earhart | Aidan O’Brien | 25/1 |
| Alderman | Richard Hannon | 40/1 |
| Galiyan | Andrew Balding | 40/1 |
| Piazza San Marco | Aidan O’Brien | 40/1 |
| Golden Story | K R Burke | 66/1 |
| Rebel Rocker | Faye Bramley | 100/1 |
| Action | Aidan O’Brien | 150/1 |
Best bets
Christmas Day is unproven at this level and without a win since Epsom. This looks a race to consider the chasing pack rather than the market leader.
Pierre Bonnard’s runner-up form at York makes him the most credible each-way alternative. Enceladus is worth another look, too, given his unbeaten record this season, following our look back at St Leger upsets earlier this week.
Final declarations, weights and prices are confirmed on Thursday, so check back before staking anything.
