Next week sees Doncaster host its annual St Leger Meeting sponsored by Ladbrokes. The highlight of the St Ledger Festival is the St Leger race itself which is the final leg of the “Triple Crown” in the UK Flat Season.
This is for 3 year old thoroughbred horses and winning the Triple Crown is considered the greatest accomplishment for thoroughbred horses, the St Leger is the longest of the Triple Crown run and is over 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards.
The most recent horse to come close to achieving the Triple Crown was Camelot, trained by Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, he lost the St Leger to the ill-fated Encke.
You have to trawl back to 1970 to find the last Triple Crown winner, the great Nijinsky, he was also the first horse for 35 years prior to him to achieve the feat. Unfortunately there is no horse set to take the Triple Crowm this year however there is plenty of talent in the race.
Dave’s Doncaster St Leger Selections
St Leger – Fields Of Athenry – 1pt e/w @ 8/1
At the head of the ante post market is Order Of St George who was a very impressive winner of the Irish St Leger trial a couple of weeks ago, He was expected to go well that day going off at 6/4 favourite and demolished some very accomplished horses in the process.
Sea Moon is probably not the horse he was a couple of years ago, but he was no match for the winner, whilst stablemate and highly thought of Kingfisher was beaten even further, although the ground may not have been 100% to his liking that day, the 3 year old looks to be improving rapidly and it will certainly take an outstanding effort to catch him.
Storm The Stars is not far behind the favourite in the betting and has a slightly better form line through Bondi Beach, however that was a month or so back whereas Order Of St George’s defeat (has to be said tactics weren’t great that day either) was back in June and there is no doubt he has improved since that run, I can’t see any reason that Storm The Stars will trouble the fav.
For the reason above I will be putting the pen through Bondi Beach too, a good horse but surely not good enough.
Fields Of Athenry would be an interesting proposition if he’s given the green light. Fancied for the Ebor he was never in a good position throughout, I thought he did very well getting as close as he did.
The horses that he has beaten are not of the standard of the favourite, or second favourite for that matter, however his time of 2 minutes 30 over 12 furlongs is significantly quicker than Order Of St George’s 13 furlong win at Down Royal.
I would not be backing if Donnacha O’Brien is on board again, however if not and he’s given the go ahead then he is certainly worth an each way bet.
He is my selection each way given the go ahead, if not then the price wouldn’t really be worth taking on the favourite but I would expect him to win.