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The St Leger Stakes
Saturday, 10th September 2011
17 Sep 2012: Camelot Fails to Win Triple Crown
13 Sep 2012: 2012 Doncaster Cup Betting Preview
12 Sep 2012: 2012 St Leger Stakes Betting Preview
11 Sep 2012: O’Brien Worried About Camelot’s Staying Ability
13 Sep 2011: Masked Marvel Aimed Towards 2012 Features
The St. Leger Stakes is the last event in three intertwined series of races; the British Classic Races, the English Triple Crown and the Fillies' Triple Crown. The Classic Races are comprised of the 1,000 Guineas Stakes, the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, the Epsom Oaks, the Epsom Derby and, finally, the St. Leger Stakes. The 1,000 Guineas Stakes and the Epsom Oaks are the first two legs of the Fillies' Triple Crown; the 2,000 Guineas Stakes and the Epsom Derby are the first two races of the English Triple Crown series. The St. Leger Stakes conclude both series, meaning there can never be a Fillies' Triple Crown champion and a Triple Crown champion in one season.
Doncaster Racecourse hosts the event annually in September over one mile, six furlongs and 132 yards. It is the longest race of the English Classics series and has spawned a variety of international spin-offs. The world-wide versions of the St. Leger Stakes include the Prix Royal-Oak in France, the Irish St. Leger, the German Deutsches St. Leger and the St. Leger Italiano. The original St. Leger is worth £500,000, one of the most valuable races of the British racing season. It is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds colts and fillies.
The St. Leger Stakes were introduced in 1776 but did not become hugely popular until 1800, when the racing world got a first taste of what would become the Triple Crown. A horse by the name of Champion won not only the St. Leger Stakes but also the Epsom Derby in the 1800 racing season. Half a century later, in 1853, the triple win of West Australian in the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, the Epsom Derby and the St. Leger Stakes, finally elevated the race to its current glory by turning it into the deciding event of the Triple Crown.
Recent Winners of the St. Leger Stakes:
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
2010 |
Arctic Cosmos |
William Buick |
John Gosden |
3:03.12 |
2009 |
Mastery |
Ted Durcan |
Saeed Bin Suroor |
3:04.81 |
2008 |
Conduit |
Frankie Dettori |
Sir Michael Stoute |
3:07.92 |
2007 |
Lucarno |
Jimmy Fortune |
John Gosden |
3:01.90 |
2006 |
Sixties Icon |
Frankie Dettori |
Jeremy Noseda |
2:57.29 |
2005 |
Scorpion |
Frankie Dettori |
Aidan O'Brien |
3:19.01 |
St Leger Stakes 2011 Odds and News
7 May 2013: Camelot Returns To Racing With Comfortable Win
It wasn’t spectacular but Camelot made a winning return to racing with a comfortable victory in the Mooresbridge Stakes at Curragh that six months ago looked very unlikely.
The 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby winner suffered a nasty bout of colic during the winter and major surgery was required to save the son of Montjeu’s life.
Although he was nowhere near the form that saw him go within a length of winning the Triple Crown in 2012 trainer Aidan O’Brien was happy with Camelot’s performance.
“When a horse has major surgery like he had during the winter you never know if they are going to come back but he showed that he retains his speed and ability,” O’Brien said.
“We are delighted with that.”
O’Brien said Camelot was set to return to the highest level of racing later in the month at Curragh.
“Although he won over a mile and a half a couple of times last year we will keep him at a mile and a quarter and come back here for the Tattersalls Gold Cup,” O’Brien said.
“The plan is to go to the Prince of Wales but we will take it one step at a time.”
Camelot was one of European racing’s biggest stars in 2012 and won the 2000 Guineas as well as the Epsom and Irish Derbies.
He was an odds-on favourite to become the first horse since Nijinsky in 1970 to win the Triple Crown but was upset by outsider Encke in the St Leger Stakes.
He was pressed on to the 2012 Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe but finished in seventh, more than twelve lengths behind winner Solemia.
Although O’Brien has stated that he is taking it one race at a time with Camelot there is speculation that he will run in the Coral Eclipse Stakes in July.
Camelot is currently on the second line of the 2013 Coral Eclipse Stakes betting market at odds of 4/1 behind 2013 2000 Guineas winner Dawn Approach (2/1).
You can find the best odds for every Camelot race this campaign at 
Bet365.
17 Sep 2012: Camelot Fails to Win Triple Crown
12 Sep 2012: 2012 St Leger Stakes Betting Preview
12 Sep 2010: Arctic Cosmos Wins St. Leger Stakes
