Betfair Official Blog

Doncaster St Leger meeting betting

The four-day Doncaster St Leger meeting offers top quality racing and betting opportunities each day, with the final classic of the season the GNER St Leger being the jewel in the crown on the Saturday.

Racegoers flock to the Town Moor to soak up action which includes the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes and the hot betting heat the Portland Handicap on Wednesday (Day 1), a race where major bets are often recorded for many of the up to 22 runners with odds of around 7/1 the field not uncommon.

On Day 2 the Group 2 May Hill Stakes is always a strong betting heat contested by smart performers, whilst the final leg of the Stayers 'Triple Crown' the Group 2 Doncaster Cup often produces a story of note. Those with bets on the unfortunate Petrizzo will remember his double disqualification which made the headlines in the 1980's, while the stunning winning performance of triple hero Double Trigger, people's favourite Persian Punch, and last year Sergeant Cecil were all newsworthy victories.

The Friday feature betting race is the Champagne Stakes, a juvenile event that often causes a shake-up in the ante-post odds for the followings season's classics and has over the years been the scene of some mighty betting action and some hefty individual bets.

Saturday's Group 1 St Leger also attracts significant bets both on and off-course. Trainers Saeed bin Suroor and Aidan O'Brien have both won the race three times in the last ten years and the odds are that one of these two racing battalions will carry off the prize once again.

Frankie Dettori is on a hat-trick in the race having landed the odds in 2005 on Scorpion and last year aboard Sixties Icon, and the modern 'housewives choice' will once again be carrying millions of pounds worth of bets on his shoulders in a race that still inspires serious betting market moves but has produced its share of shocks in recent times, such as Moonax's success at odds of 40/1 in 1994.

Over the four-day fixture trainer Barry Hills has consistently shown a level stakes betting profit at a wide variety of odds and his runners are always worthy of consideration.