St Leger Festival 2026 NAPs & Tips

Race 1 · 1:10 (UK) · British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (Winner Receives Free Entry To The 2027 Betfred St Leger) (GBB/GBBPlus Race)

Berkshire Regal 15/2

Berkshire Regal's sole start brought the same bare result (2nd) as market fancy Al Jabbar, but she managed it with a Racing Post Rating of 82 - twelve pounds superior to Al Jabbar's Racing Post Rating of 70 - for the in-form Andrew Balding stable and jockey Jason Watson, suggesting the form is stronger than the finishing position alone implies.

Backup: Al Jabbar (3/1)

Race 2 · 1:45 (UK) · Betfred Champagne Stakes (Group 2)

Desert Castle 1/1

Desert Castle is sent off a warm 10/11 favourite on the back of a visually taking sole start, and with Godolphin's Charlie Appleby-trained juvenile squad well fancied at the top of the market, that strength of support is hard to oppose even though her Racing Post Rating of 99 is the softest figure among the leading contenders on pure form.

Backup: Sergei Diaghilev (5/2)

Race 3 · 2:20 (UK) · Betfred Portland (Class 2 Heritage Handicap)

Station X 20/1

Station X carries just 124lb (8-12) - 14lb below topweight Dubai Bling's 138lb (9-12), meaning a markedly lower Official Rating - yet her form figures '164131' show three wins from her last six starts for trainer Bryan Smart and jockey Jason Watson. That gap between her assigned weight and her current form suggests she is racing well ahead of her mark in this 22-runner cavalry charge.

Backup: Dubai Bling (25/1)

Race 4 · 2:55 (UK) · Betfred Park Stakes (Group 2)

Flora Of Bermuda 6/1

Flora Of Bermuda benefits from the fillies' allowance, racing off 129lb against 132lb for her principal rivals, and her form figures '-10110' contain three wins from her last five starts for the red-hot Andrew Balding yard. Market leader More Thunder carries the higher Racing Post Rating, but Flora Of Bermuda's weight break and consistency make her the more interesting price at around 6/1.

Backup: More Thunder (4/5)

Race 5 · 3:35 (UK) · Betfred St Leger Stakes (Group 1)

Christmas Day 7/4 ★ NAP

Christmas Day carries the highest Racing Post Rating in the field at 130, matching form figures '-13123' that include a good recent turn of form, for the powerhouse Aidan O'Brien operation - who also saddle market leader Enceladus and Pierre Bonnard, giving connections three realistic chances in the Group 1 feature. On Racing Post Ratings alone, Christmas Day edges this stacked St Leger field.

Backup: Enceladus (5/2)

Race 6 · 4:15 (UK) · Pertemps Network Handicap Stakes

Inspired 4/1

Inspired is out at the bottom of the weights among the leading contenders at 120lb (8-8) - 18lb below topweight Bullet Point's 138lb (9-12) - yet the form figures '521211' show three wins from her last six starts for K R Burke's yard. A horse racing off that far below topweight and still winning that regularly looks over-handicapped on Official Ratings terms.

Backup: Bullet Point (17/2)

Race 7 · 4:48 (UK) · PJ Towey Handicap Stakes (GBBPlus Race)

David Of Athens 50/1

David Of Athens' form figures '4-1100' include two wins from his last four starts for Hamad Al Jehani's yard, which has been finding form domestically. Carrying 136lb (9-10), just 2lb below topweight Thunder Run, he looks feasibly treated for a yard building momentum, and jockey Faleh Bughenaim continues aboard for continuity of note.

Backup: Thunder Run (11/4)

Race 1 · 1:15 (UK) · Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes (Listed Race)

Varzi 16/1

K R Burke's yard is in excellent current form, and Varzi fits the pattern: runner-up on debut before scoring next time out (form: 21), a clear improving profile. At 12/1 in a race headed by an unbeaten but as-yet-unextended favourite, the traveling form and the yard's momentum make Varzi the value pick over the market leader.

Backup: Nabati (1/1)

Race 2 · 1:50 (UK) · Betfred Leger Legends Classified Stakes

Espona Bay 28/1

Espona Bay's recent form figures (133513) stand out in this field - two wins and three places from her last six starts shows real consistency at this level. Trainer Scott Dixon saddles three in this race, but Espona Bay is clearly the pick of his string on figures alone.

Backup: Quiet Resolve (40/1)

Race 3 · 2:25 (UK) · Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes (Group 2)

Final Objective 9/4

Final Objective holds a Racing Post Rating of 118, second only to the favourite Pershaada (123) in this field, and his form figures (27412) show a horse still on the way up rather than levelling off. James Doyle takes the ride for Hamad Al Jehani, and that Racing Post Ratings trajectory makes him the pick ahead of the shorter-priced favourite.

Backup: Pershaada (6/1)

Race 4 · 3:00 (UK) · Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup Stakes (Group 2)

Caballo De Mar 5/6

Caballo De Mar steps into a stiff test of stamina over two miles that should suit a horse whose form has been building toward this trip. Oisin Murphy is riding as well as anyone in the country right now, and that combination edges it for me over the favourite Queenstown.

Backup: Queenstown (13/8)

Race 5 · 3:35 (UK) · British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies' Handicap Stakes (GBBPlus Race)

Room Fourteen 6/1 ★ NAP

Room Fourteen races off 122lb (8-10), 16lb below Salamanca City at the top of the weights (138lb/9-12). Her form figures (312113) show two wins from her last three starts - a sharp upward curve that suggests she's already better than her current Official Rating, even shouldering more this time.

Backup: Salamanca City (14/1)

Race 6 · 4:10 (UK) · Coopers EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes (GBB Race)

She's Got A Way 11/4

K R Burke has gone straight to Ryan Moore for this unexposed maiden despite no form figures on the board - a booking of that calibre for a first/second-time-out filly is a strong signal of stable confidence that's worth siding with over the more exposed favourite.

Backup: Victoria Night (4/5)

Race 7 · 4:45 (UK) · Tanbry Construction Nursery Handicap Stakes

Henley On Thames 9/2

Henley On Thames arrives with the form figures of the field: 62211, two wins from her last two starts. That upward trajectory has her joint-favourite in the market, and with David Egan continuing aboard for Kevin Philippart De Foy, the formline points to more to come rather than a plateau.

Backup: Innichen (11/1)

Race 8 · 5:20 (UK) · Pertemps Network Handicap Stakes (GBBPlus Race)

Fans Favourite 4/1

Fans Favourite carries just 128lb (9-2), 14lb below top-weights Spirit Genie and Almekarem (142lb/10-2), and her form figures (311531) - two wins from her last three including last time out - suggest she is racing well ahead of that mark. A weight-advantaged handicapper in form is hard to overlook.

Backup: Almekarem (7/2)

Race 1 · 1:15 (UK) · British Stallion Studs 'Carrie Red' EBF Fillies' Nursery Handicap Stakes

Downonmainstreet 25/1

Downonmainstreet won her last two starts (form figures 7311), a sharp rise in form that her mark may not have caught up with yet. She races off 8-8, 15lb below Sexy Chick at the top of the weights, a workable spot given the scale of her improvement. Michael Bell's filly gets David Probert again.

Backup: Kodi Bear Light (6/1)

Race 2 · 1:50 (UK) · Weatherbys £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes (GBB Race)

Night In Vegas 5/6

Night In Vegas was sent off the shortest price on the card at 11/8, and the form book backs that up: three wins from four starts (form figures 11531) and the highest Racing Post Rating in the race on 117. Eve Johnson Houghton's filly looks hard to beat stepping up in company.

Backup: Zigazig Ah (9/2)

Race 3 · 2:25 (UK) · Pertemps Network Handicap Stakes (GBBPlus Race)

Knights Charge 2/1

Knights Charge's form figures read 3-11: two wins in a row after a break, a colt whose mark may not have fully caught up. He races off 8-13, 10lb below Bourbon Blues at the top of the weights, and Shane Foley continues for Roger Varian.

Backup: Bourbon Blues (7/1)

Race 4 · 3:00 (UK) · Betfred Park Hill Fillies' Stakes (Group 2)

Prizeland 9/4

Prizeland is one of only two three-year-olds taking on the older Group performers here, so gets a useful weight-for-age allowance against Consent and Danielle. Her form figures (-12521) show she arrives on the back of a win, with Oisin Murphy riding for Andrew Balding.

Backup: Consent (13/2)

Race 5 · 3:35 (UK) · Betfred May Hill Stakes (Group 2)

Sea Of Rain 15/2

Sea Of Rain carries the highest Racing Post Rating in this May Hill field on 115, clear of the market's likely favourite. Her form figures (223141) show four places and a win from six starts. J S Bolger's filly looks the value option on Racing Post Ratings.

Backup: Eabha (14/1)

Race 6 · 4:10 (UK) · Meadowhall X Flannels Beauty Bar Nursery Handicap Stakes (GBBPlus Race)

Al Wathba 7/4

Al Wathba tops the weights in this small nursery, marking her the highest-rated filly in the race on Official Ratings. She won last time out (form figures 221) for Charlie Appleby, with William Buick taking the ride, a booking that signals confidence from a powerful yard.

Backup: Zarakova (10/1)

Race 7 · 4:45 (UK) · East Midlands Airport And JET2 Nursery Handicap Stakes

Rafe's Da Man 7/1

Rafe's Da Man won last time out, his form figures (4431) showing rapid improvement. He runs for Richard Hannon, who has a strong Doncaster record: 18 winners and 41 places from 126 runners since 2023, with Ryan Moore booked to ride.

Backup: Love Rome (22/1)

Race 8 · 5:20 (UK) · Pertemps Handicap Stakes (GBBPlus Race)

Masterinthewoods 4/1

Masterinthewoods tops the weights in this Pertemps Handicap, marking her the highest-rated horse in the race on Official Ratings. Her form figures (-71222) show four places from her last five starts, including three seconds in a row, and David Probert continues in the plate for trainer Emma Lavelle.

Backup: Itica (15/2)