Confirmed runners and riders for Saturday's St Leger - plus a 1-2-3 prediction

Irish Derby and Grand Prix de Paris winner Hurricane Lane faces nine rivals in the Cazoo St Leger (3.35) at Doncaster on Saturday.

The Charlie Appleby-trained colt, whose sole defeat came when third in the Derby, seeks a hat-trick of Group 1 wins and is an odds-on favourite to land British racing’s oldest Classic.

Hurricane Lane is ridden by William Buick, who won this race on Arctic Cosmos in 2010 and Masked Marvel the following year – with both horses trained by John Gosden. Appleby is bidding for a first St Leger success.

Johnny Murtagh saddles Gordon Stakes scorer Ottoman Emperor, a winner of his last four starts. He is partnered by Ben Coen, with the young rider set to experience the track for the first time.

Aidan O'Brien has won the race six times, most recently with Kew Gardens in 2018, and has declared four runners – High Definition, Interpretation, Sir Lucan and The Mediterranean.

With Ryan Moore in Ireland to ride St Mark's Basilica in the Irish Champion Stakes, Frankie Dettori is called up to ride Coolmore's supposed first-string High Definition, who sports cheekpieces for the first time.

James Doyle, a retained rider for Coolmore's great rivals Godolphin, has been booked on Sir Lucan with Wayne Lordan on The Mediterranean and Hollie Doyle aboard Interpretation.

Carlisle Bay and King Of The Castle – also trained by O'Brien – and Thursday's Park Hill runner Save A Forest were the three horses not declared.

Amo Racing’s Mojo Star is another likely player for Richard Hannon and Rossa Ryan, having finished second in the Derby and fifth in the Irish equivalent.

Tom Marquand enjoyed a first Classic triumph aboard Galileo Chrome in this race last year and partners the Andrew Balding-trained Youth Spirit, while champion jockey Oisin Murphy is aboard the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Fernando Vichi.

On the undercard, Solario Stakes scorer Reach For The Moon and Gimcrack winner Lusail clash in a four-runner Champagne Stakes. Bayside Boy and Twilight Jet complete the field in a race won by Toronado, Too Darn Hot and Chindit in the last ten years.

3.35 Doncaster Saturday: Cazoo St Leger racecard and betting

St Leger runners and riders

Fernando VichiOisin Murphy
High DefinitionFrankie Dettori
Hurricane LaneWilliam Buick
InterpretationHollie Doyle
Mojo StarRossa Ryan
Ottoman EmperorBen Coen
ScopeRob Hornby
Sir LucanJames Doyle
The MediterraneanWayne Lordan
Youth SpiritTom Marquand

Pedigree punting: St Leger verdict and prediction

1 Hurricane Lane
2 Interpretation
3 Ottoman Emperor

The world's oldest Classic looks set to be a cracker, with Irish Derby hero and runaway Grand Prix de Paris winner Hurricane Lane a worthy favourite.

The son of Frankel, like all the other contestants, has to prove his stamina at this stage. However, Godolphin's star colt is out of a Shirocco mare who won a Listed French contest on heavy ground over an extended 1m7f and is herself in turn a half-sister to Seal Of Approval, an easy winner of the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes on soft ground.

Frankel himself has implanted plenty of staying qualities into his offspring, with the likes of Logician winning the 2019 St Leger, Master Of Reality finishing third in the Gold Cup at Ascot and Call The Wind landing the Prix du Cadran.

A laid-back type with excellent battling qualities when push comes to shove, it is not hard to see why Hurricane Lane is odds-on.

High Definition, who finished third to Hurricane Lane in the Dante, is an interesting contender purely for the fact that he has been supplemented. Winner of the Beresford Stakes at two, the full-brother to Innisfree and 3m1f hurdle winner Royal Aide has proven bitterly disappointing in two further runs, including when behind the market leader in the Irish Derby.

He did look slightly one paced in the Great Voltigeur at York, and connections clearly feel he will be suited by this greater stamina test, but a major spark of revival is needed.

A more obvious contender could be Aidan O'Brien stablemate Interpretation, another son of Galileo but one who has progressed rapidly in three runs this season.

Owned in partnership with Peter Brant and the Coolmore partners, the colt caught the eye with a ready defeat of the useful Fernando Vichi, another entrant for the Doncaster Classic, in the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes, making all and staying on well.

He is out of a Dansili half-sister to Dubai Sheema Classic winner Dolniya and from an excellent Aga Khan family that includes Arc winner Dalakhani and the top-class performer Daylami, so stamina should not pose a massive issue.

Mojo Star finished in front of Hurricane Lane when second to Adayar in the Derby, although whether Hurricane Lane ran up to his best after losing both front shoes is open to debate.

Squeezed for room at a crucial stage in the Irish Derby, although he would not have been likely to have caught the first two, Mojo Star followed up with a confidence boosting maiden win at Newbury, winning at long odds-on.

The Barbara Prendergast-bred colt, a 220,000gns purchase by Peter and Ross Doyle from Tattersalls Book 1, is out of a Zamindar half-sister to two stakes-winning milers, although Sea The Stars' ability to produce top-class stayers is not in doubt, Stradivarius being the prime example.

Ottoman Emperor has quickly emerged as another exciting staying prospect for Johnny Murtagh and O T I Racing, albeit he is not guaranteed to stay based on his pedigree.

He looked a high-class stayer in the making, however, when plugging on in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, with a step up to 1m6f looking on that evidence as if it would suit, although he is by a top-class miler in Excelebration and out of a mile-winning half-sister to the Group-placed 1m4f winner Pleasant Surprise.

This content was first published in Kitty Trice's Pedigree Punting column in Wednesday's Racing Post Weekender. Read more from Kitty and star Weekender contributors such as leading tipsters Tom Segal and Paul Kealy and exclusive columnist Ed Walker every week

Read more on the St Leger:

'He's a genuine lively outsider' – Tom Marquand hoping for St Leger repeat (Members Club)

Richard Hannon: St Leger trip will 'very much' suit Mojo Star

'The O'Brien colt will do most damage' – bookmakers share their big-race fears

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