2026 St Leger Stakes – Key Contenders and Latest Betting

The 2026 Betfred St Leger Stakes is beginning to take shape, with Derby winner Christmas Day heading the betting for the final British Classic of the season.

The St Leger takes place at Doncaster on Saturday, September 12, with the Group 1 run over 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 115 yards. This year’s race is particularly notable as it marks the 250th running of the St Leger, which was first staged in 1776.

There are still 16 horses in contention, so the field is not final. Confirmations and any supplementary entries are due on September 7, with final declarations on September 10.

That means plenty can still change, but the latest betting gives us a good idea of the horses most likely to play a major part.

Christmas Day Heads the St Leger Betting

Christmas Day is the current 7/4 favourite, and it is easy to understand why.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt won the Derby at Epsom in June and has already shown that stamina is one of his strengths.

His most recent appearance came in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, one of the traditional St Leger trials. Christmas Day finished third behind Maltese Cross, with stablemate Pierre Bonnard taking second.

That result might normally be viewed as a slight negative, but Maltese Cross has subsequently been taken out of the St Leger and will instead be aimed at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Christmas Day therefore arrives at Doncaster as the only Derby winner still standing among the leading contenders.

The longer trip is the next question, but his Epsom performance gives him strong claims of adding another Classic to his record.

Enceladus Could Be the Big Threat

Perhaps the most interesting horse in the market is Enceladus at 11/4.

Trained by Joseph O’Brien, Enceladus has won all three of his starts this season and has improved as the distances have increased.

He won the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot before stepping into Group company and winning the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood.

Rather than running him against Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard in the Great Voltigeur, connections chose to give him more time before Doncaster.

The plan is now very much to run in the St Leger, provided Joseph O’Brien remains happy with him in the build-up.

The move up to nearly 1¾ miles is another test, but Enceladus has the look of a colt still improving.

At this stage, he may pose the biggest threat to Aidan O’Brien’s runners.

Pierre Bonnard Has Strong Trial Form

Pierre Bonnard at 3/1 gives Aidan O’Brien another major chance.

He was third in the Irish Derby earlier in the summer and then finished ahead of Christmas Day when second to Maltese Cross in the Great Voltigeur.

With Maltese Cross missing Doncaster, that York form suddenly looks even more important.

Pierre Bonnard has yet to win this season, but he has regularly competed at a high level and his Great Voltigeur run suggests the longer St Leger distance could suit.

There is very little between him, Christmas Day and Enceladus in the betting, and it would be no surprise if the order changed before race day.

Can Del Maro Get Involved?

There is then a noticeable gap in the betting to Del Maro, who is around 14/1 in the prices shown.

The Godolphin colt is trained by Charlie Appleby and already has experience over staying distances.

He was beaten only a nose when second at Royal Ascot over 1¾ miles and then finished third over 1m5f at Newmarket in July.

That proven stamina is important.

Del Maro does not have the Classic form of Christmas Day or Pierre Bonnard, but there are fewer questions about his ability to cope with the St Leger distance.

At a double-figure price, that makes him one of the more interesting horses outside the leading three.

Hatteen Could Be the Improving Outsider

Hatteen at around 16/1 is another horse worth watching.

Andrew Balding’s colt won over 1½ miles at Doncaster in July, pulling more than four lengths clear, before finishing a close second in a valuable handicap at Glorious Goodwood.

This is a very different level of race, but Hatteen has two qualities that are useful in a St Leger contender.

He is improving and he has already won at Doncaster.

The question is whether he can make the jump from handicap company into a Group 1 Classic.

At 16/1, the betting suggests he has something to find, but he is an interesting outsider if he continues to progress.

Highwayman and the Bigger Prices

Joseph O’Brien could also run Highwayman, currently around 25/1, giving him another possible challenge alongside Enceladus.

Aidan O’Brien still has several other entries, including Piazza San Marco, while Andrew Balding has Galiyan and Emmet Mullins could be represented by Zia Zabel.

Those horses are currently available at around 33/1 to 40/1 in the betting shown.

At this stage, they look more speculative than the leading contenders, although the final shape of the field could make some of the bigger prices more interesting.

Who Is the Horse to Beat?

There is still enough uncertainty to make a firm St Leger selection difficult.

Christmas Day has the strongest single piece of form thanks to his Derby victory and deserves his place at the head of the market.

Pierre Bonnard finishing ahead of him at York cannot be ignored, however, while Enceladus brings something different to the race as an improving colt who has won every start this season.

For anyone looking beyond the favourites, Del Maro has proven stamina and Hatteen offers the appeal of an improving horse with winning Doncaster form.

Much will depend on which of the remaining 16 horses are declared on September 10.

For now, though, the St Leger is beginning to look like another major contest between the O’Brien family, with Aidan’s Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard facing one of the strongest threats from Joseph’s Enceladus.