Doncaster 2024 St Leger Runner-By-Runner Guide: Ballydoyle hold all the aces at ten declare for the seasons final Classic

• Ballydoyle have a stronghold on the St Leger

• Ryan Moore's decision whether it be Ireland or England will prove critical

• Jan Brueghel should be favourite

At the ante-post stage, Aidan O'Brien had the top three in the betting with Illinois, Jan Brueghel, and Grosvenor Square, with six others holding nine of the 15 entrants.

O'Brien hadn't won this race since Kew Gardens in 2018 before Continuous hacked up last year despite having 11 previous runners over four years prior.

Ryan Moore may be a punter's friend in this race. He offers an invaluable pointer to which of the O'Brien runners to side with. Be sure to check out his blog for Betfair here.

Following Monday's confirmations stage, ten stand their ground.

According to the Met Office weather app, Doncaster will receive a small amount of rain on Thursday, but the outlook is predominantly dry.

Illinois 7/42.75

He has been a slow burner and steady improver all season, and he is crying out for this step-up in trip to 1m6f for the first time. He did well at York under a penalty when narrowly denied by the Irish Derby winner Los Angeles, outpaced at a crucial time before staying on strongly again at the finish and hitting the line hard. On his penultimate outing in Group 1 company, he had left the impression in Paris that a more strongly run race would have seen him in a better light. He will follow the path of last year's winner, Continuos, by taking up this assignment, and the negatives are hard to find, providing he gets a strong gallop.

If you are being picky, he does lack tactical speed, but having yet to run over this trip leaves an avenue for further improvement. He holds a strong chance on the bare form of his last two outings.

Jan Brueghel 10/34.33

He is entirely unexposed following just three outings, and he remains unbeaten, having touched off Bellum Justum by a neck in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood in August. The runner-up has since won a Grade 3 in the US over ten furlongs, and his previous third to the useful Jayarebe at Ascot has worked out well, and the Goodwood third had finished fifth in the Derby. There are form cases for Jan Brueghel, and he is open to significant improvement, bolstering the claims of a strong-looking Ballydoyle team.

Grosvenor Square 4/15.00

Grosvenor Square is another for Aidan O'Brien that is impossible to write off. At the start of the season, he had a blip, but his latest two performances at the Curragh over today's distance have been outstanding. He demolished a small field in Group 3 company when adopting front-running tearaway tactics that saw him run out a 20-length winner. You could easily argue that his Curragh Cup Group 2 second when splitting the smart Tower Of London and recent York winner, Vauban, is the form line to take, but it's wise to remember he had the run of the race there and was receiving a 12lb weight concession. Still, he is another useful staying prospect that will ensure this is a thorough test.

You Got To Me 11/26.50

The filly was supplemented for this contest on Monday morning and she arrives following an excellent staying-on second to Content in the Yorkshire Oaks. She has had an excellent season, which includes winning the Irish Oaks, and she is in career-best form. However, this is now a step into the unknown up in the distance, and she is in against the boys for the first time. She is interesting, but it makes little appeal for a punt and is much too short in the market.

Sunway 13/27.50

David Menuisier's Sunway has yet to score as a three-year-old, and that would go against the grain when looking for a winner in this race. Still, he continues to move up in distance to find his optimum trip, having run over 1m1f - 1m4f this season. The best of his efforts came when second to Los Angeles in the Irish Derby. A robust finishing effort from an unpromising position makes him a serious player. A brother to Champion Stakes winner Sealiway, he is very useful despite failing to score this term, and he has a creditable run at this venue as a two-year-old when second over the much shorter trip of seven furlongs in the Champagne Stakes.

The overwhelming feeling is that we have yet to see the best of him, and his form is right up there with the best of these.

Los Angeles 12/113.00

Unlikely runner.

Deira Mile 14/115.00

He outran big odds to finish fourth in the Derby at Epsom in June, and he was only two lengths behind Ancient Wisdom in the Futurity Trophy last year. He missed his engagement at York and was held in a small field tactical affair at Windsor in Listed company 21 days ago. However, it would be folly to write him off with a stiff stamina test and a long home straight that is highly likely to suit him, and he has a bigger effort in him.

He could outrun his odds for a place, but this is deep, and he is passed over for win purposes.

Align The Stars 50/151.00

He has had an excellent and productive season, but his yards, typically hard campaigning of horses, evidently took its toll at York when taking on his elders last time and now must bounce back. He had lots of potential at the start of the season before being predictably overraced, and this is his toughest task yet.

Wild Waves 66/167.00

Andrew Balding is a runner who did remarkably well in the Melrose Handicap from an unpromising position. Still, it would be folly for connections to waste a perfectly suitable handicap mark to run no better than fifth in this contest. Needs to settle.

Euphoric 100/1101.00

The outsider of the field for Ballydoyle, whose Leopardstown run in May, would give him every chance, but he has been beaten 42 lengths in his last three starts, and no confidence can be taken from any of them. Huge task.

The Verdict - Back Jan Brueghel @ 10/34.33 1pt

There are flimsy cases for Deira Mile and possibly Wil Waves at prices, but the top of this market is so strong that it's tough to realistically look away from the first three in the betting.

Illinois will surely relish this move up in distance, and his 7/42.75 price tag is well deserved. Still, he does lack tactical speed, and is he good enough to overcome a tactical disadvantage should one present itself?

Sunway holds good claims, but stepping up on the trip, I can see him being held up to come with a late run. Those tactics don't always work in staying races, while even the smallest of stamina doubts are negative.

I expect Grosvenor Square to ensure this is a thorough test, and with a dry outlook, I would be fairly strong on the chances of the unexposed Jan Brueghel - 10/34.33 on the Betfair Sportsbook.

The Ballydoyle runner will surely be hard to turn down for Ryan Moore, who holds an unbeaten record on his back but does have the choice to ride at Leopardstown's excellent meeting. Furthermore, his Curragh victory saw the runner-up narrowly denied by Continous next time. The St Leger has been on the agender for Jan Brueghel for a long while, so this is no afterthought, and he comes here a relatively fresh horse.

Should Ryan Moore make Jan Brueghel his choice, he will go off favourite for this and have him well-positioned to strike. On the other hand, should Moore head to Leopardstown, Jan Brueghel is more straightforward than Illinois. He looks like a future Cup horse, so he gets a fairly confident vote to take a punt at 10/34.33 ante-post - before the Moore decision.