Tony Calvin: Don't bet against a late entrant taking St Leger

With the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup the showpiece racing card on Saturday, it is no surprise to see weekend ante-post markets thin on the ground - I think it is fair to say bookmakers and punters haven't really warmed to the event - so it is a good time to have our first look at the St Leger market.

And, while this isn't particularly helpful from a betting point of view, I wouldn't lay you a big price that the winner isn't currently entered in the race, or indeed quoted in the betting.

As Bonnie would no doubt blast out at you if and when she rocks up at any of these post-racing music gigs, the Classic is certainly holding out for a hero at the moment.

Storm The Stars has headed the market for a while and that is no surprise, as he has looked a grinder in being placed in the both the English and Irish Derbys, and probably wasn't far off that level of form when third in the Grand Prix De Paris at Longchamp last time.

But, with an official rating of 114 and more exposed than most, he doesn't get the juices flowing at around the 6-1 mark.

Balios wasn't seen to best effect when fifth in that Longchamp race and his earlier defeat of subsequent winner Mr Singh in the King Edward VII Stakes stacks up well. But, once again, neither of these two contenders make massive appeal towards the top of the market.

Aidan O'Brien is responsible for 16 of the current 29 entries and, to a small degree, that is why this race hasn't really ignited from a betting point of view (we will come to the other reason, shortly).

Fields Of Athenry has been nibbled at ever since his runaway Leopardstown win last month but who knows what the plan is for him, and his other stablemates? I certainly don't.

I backed Medrano at 33-1 for this race after his soft ground Hamilton win last month and fully expected him to win the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

I actually took a charitable view of his below-par fourth to Highland Reel (another O'Brien possible) there and pressed up again at 25-1 after the race, reasoning that everything that could have gone wrong for him there did.

He lost ground at the start, was forced wide throughout and could never get into it thereafter in a race that was steadily-run early doors. I was expecting him to be ridden prominently at Goodwood, but it just didn't happen.

It could be that he needs soft ground and/or was flattered at Hamilton but he was only two lengths behind Storm The Stars when third on good ground at Goodwood in May - Mr Singh was back in fifth - and obviously the Doncaster meeting isn't a big price to be run on similar (or worse) going in mid-September.

I think he remains a fair 25-1 poke in the race - he may improve for a trip, being out of the 1m6f Melrose winner Trick Or Treat - and another you have to respect is Covert Love, who looked a very strong stayer when winning the Irish Oaks.

Aside from the massed O'Brien ranks, the other reason the Leger market has been such a light punting heat is that I don't think it is much bigger than a 5-2 chance that the winner will be supplemented for the race on September 7th, five days before the Classic.

Certainly, Goodwood threw up some very interesting contenders that are not currently entered for the race. Indeed, one or two, by all accounts, aren't even being considered.

Dartmouth really impressed me when winning off a mark of 89 in the1m4f handicap and, being related to a number of stayers, immediately looked an ideal Leger candidate in a very winnable year.

But apparently the race isn't on the agenda for him, as it stands, and I dare say that the same is true of Intilaaq, though this Newbury 1m2f winner could become a fascinating contender if allowed to take his chance in, and win, the Voltigeur. He is probably a 1m2f horse, though.

Given that Ralph Beckett has done so well with fillies in the Leger in recent years - Talent was runner-up in 2013 and Look Here was third in 2008 - it wouldn't be a big surprise if his fast-improving Lillie Langtry winner Simple Verse was supplemented for the race if all goes well for her between now and September.

Connections can certainly afford the supplementary fee, as can the owners of Tashaar, who created a big impression when winning the 1m3f handicap on the Friday of Glorious Goodwood.

His breeding would give you some hope that he would stay the Leger trip and I'd be more than happy to chuck a few quid on him at a price were any bookmakers to eventually quote him for Doncaster (he has just been put into Betfair's exchange market, so keep an eye on that).

The handicap win may have only come off 90 but I don't think he needs to improve a lot to give the like of Storm The Stars and Covert Love a race.

Owners Al Shaqab may feel that Doncaster may come too soon for him but they are considering supplementing the Voltigeur at York this month and, if he wins that, then he is a short-priced favourite for the Classic.

And I suspect that they will be tempted to see what he is made of at York.

In summary, this is a no-bet column, sorry. But Medrano still interests me at 25-1, and I think the winner could only be entered for the first time on September 7th. The most likely lad at this stage is Tashaar, and Simple Verse is a very feasible filly, too.