St Leger Betting Tips
The oldest of the three-year-old Classics is the St Leger, run at Doncaster at the end of every flat season. It was first run way back in 1776, so is closing in on its 250th anniversary. That makes it one of the longest ongoing sporting events in the world, ensuring inaugural winner Allabaculia has a unique place in racing history within this country.
For the 2026 St Leger renewal, yet another brand new crop of three-year-old colts and fillies do battle in the one Classic where the sexes combine year after year. Below are our experts’ tips for the race.
2026 St Leger Betting
15:35 Doncaster
GoodBetfred St Leger Stakes (Group 1) (No Geldings)
- Flat Turf
- Turf
- 1m 6f 115y
- Class 1
- 11 runners
- Win time: 3m 3s
- First Prize: £396,970
- 2nd: £150,500
- 3rd: £75,320
- 4th: £37,520
- 5th: £18,830
- 6th: £9,450
11/1 (Won)
- Win: £12.00
- Place: £2.60
took keen hold, midfield, headway on outer over 3f out, led over 2f out, ridden and hung right final furlong, kept on well
5/2
- Place: £1.45
took keen hold, towards rear, headway over 2f out, went second over 1f out, soon short of room, kept on
22/1
- Place: £5.70
took keen hold, in rear, headway on outer over 2f out, no impression but went third final 110yds
40/1
slowly into stride, in rear, bit short of room but headway 2f out, disputing third but no impression inside final furlong
40/1
towards rear, headway over 2f out, hung left over 1f out, weakened final 110yds
3/1
in touch with leaders, not clear run from 2f out, in the clear but hung left and weakened gradually final furlong
22/1
dwelt start, took keen hold, midfield, headway and pressed leaders over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
100/1
took keen hold, in touch with leaders, headway and pressed leaders over 2f out, soon weakened
7/4
led early, soon raced in second, briefly led 3f out, soon weakened
33/1
steadied start, in rear, weakened under 2f out
66/1
prominent early, soon raced wide and led, clear after 4f, reduced lead over 4f out, headed and weakened 3f out
+o+e Betting Returns
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | £29.90 |
| Straight Forecast | £36.85 |
| Tricast | £613.51 |
| Trifecta | £603.30 |
Selections
The Times:
EnceladusSt Leger Racecourse
Doncaster has been home to the St Leger for the entirety of the race’s storied existence. For the first 37 runnings of the race though, it was run over a full two miles, ensuring it was even more of a stamina test than it has been since 1813, when the race was reduced to the modern distance of 1m6f, making it the longest English Classic after the 1m4f Oaks and Derby.
The track makes use of a long straight before a gradual, gentle left-handed bend, a brief straightening up down the side, then a sharper turn towards a long home stretch to conclude. It can get incredibly testing when the ground soaks up any wet weather, so this is a true test, especially for younger horses, most of whom will still be at the start of longer careers.
Are There Any Specific St Leger Betting Offers?
The St Leger’s Classic status means lots of attention will be drawn to the race. There will not be many betting offers attributed to the race ahead of time, but by the off, many bookmakers will be offering out free bets on the contest.
St Leger Trends & Historic Data
Despite nearly 250 years worth of history, the chances of anyone surpassing the leading trainer in the St Leger feels unlikely in the short term. Victorian era handler John Scott managed to send out the winner on no fewer than 16 occasions between 1827-1862, a truly staggering number.
For more recent betting related purposes, it has paid to remain towards the head of the market, as only Harbour Law at 22/1 in 2016 has gone off at a double-figure price among the winners in the last decade. Four favourites, including two at odds-on, have gone in in this period too.
St Leger Horse Entries & Selections
Although the 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby are also open to both colts and fillies, those races have a fillies’ only equivalent in the 1000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks respectively. Conversely, the St Leger has no race in direct competition, so often feels like the only Classic in which the best colts and fillies compete against each other towards the end of the flat season.
Like the other Classics, it is open only to three-year-olds, with its position in the calendar intended to allow as much time for its competitors to mature as possible.
Here is how our experts see this year’s contest, with Andrew Mount and Matty Sutcliffe providing their selections here.
Which Trainers Have Historically Had the Most Success in the St Leger?
John Scott is comfortably the most successful trainer in the history of the race, and nobody is likely to get anywhere near his tally in the near future. He recorded 16 wins during the 19th Century, so even Aidan O’Brien on six wins has a lot of work to do to get remotely close to that particular haul.
From a jockeys’ perspective, Bill Scott was the brother of John and rode the St Leger winner on nine occasions.
St Leger Past Winners
| Year | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
| 2015 | Simple Verse | Ralph Beckett | Andrea Atzeni | 8/1 |
| 2016 | Harbour Law | Laura Mongan | George Baker | 22/1 |
| 2017 | Capri | Aidan O’Brien | Ryan Moore | 3/1F |
| 2018 | Kew Gardens | Aidan O’Brien | Ryan Moore | 3/1 |
| 2019 | Logician | John Gosden | Frankie Dettori | 5/6F |
| 2020 | Galileo Chrome | Joseph O’Brien | Tom Marquand | 4/1 |
| 2021 | Hurricane Lane | Charlie Appleby | William Buick | 8/11F |
| 2022 | Eldar Eldarov | Roger Varian | David Egan | 9/2 |
| 2023 | Continuous | Aidan O’Brien | Ryan Moore | 3/1 |
| 2024 | Jan Breughel | Aidan O’Brien | Sean Levey | 11/4 |
| 2025 | Scandinavia | Aidan O’Brien | Tom Marquand | 2/1F |