You Got To Me: profiling the £50,000 St Leger supplement and the other key contenders for Saturday's Group 1 contest

A potential field of ten remains in contention for the Betfred St Leger Stakes (3.40) at Doncaster after the latest confirmation stage, with Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me supplemented at a cost of £50,000. Here we profile Ralph Beckett's filly and the other key contenders for Saturday's Classic . . .

You Got To Me

Purchased for 200,000gns as a yearling, You Got To Me made a winning debut in a Kempton maiden last September before finishing fifth in the Listed Montrose Stakes at Newmarket on her other juvenile outing.

The daughter of Nathaniel took May's Lingfield Oaks Trial on her three-year-old debut under a fine front-running ride by Hector Crouch and briefly hit the front in the Oaks at Epsom later that month before fading into an eight-and-a-quarter-length fourth.

She set a strong pace when fourth in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot next time, before the addition of a tongue-tie and switch to more patient tactics saw her come with a strong run to land the Irish Oaks at the Curragh in July, where she held off the late challenge of Aidan O'Brien's Content.

You Got To Me was an impressive winner of the Irish oaks

You Got To Me and Hector Crouch winning the Irish OaksCredit: Patrick McCann

Content reversed those placings in the Yorkshire Oaks next time, likely benefitting from making her challenge closer to the far rail. You Got To Me settled better there than she had in her recent outings and hit the line hard – offering promise for her chance of seeing out the 1m6½f St Leger trip.

Her connections will be hoping for a dry week at Doncaster, as You Got To Me's recent results have been achieved on a sound surface and her two heaviest margins of defeat came on her only runs on ground with cut.

Ralph Beckett has previous when running fillies in the St Leger, with Simple Verse striking for the trainer in 2015 and Haskoy finishing second past the post – before subsequently being demoted to fourth after causing interference – in the 2022 running. Like You Got To Me, Haskoy had been supplemented for the Leger at a cost of £50,000.

'It's an open year' - You Got To Me team open up on St Leger challenge after £50,000 supplement

The main dangers . . .

Illinois

Has produced progressive Racing Post Ratings in each of his five starts this year, gaining a rating of 118 for his neck second behind stablemate Los Angeles in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last time out. He hit the line hard over that 1m4f trip and had previously won the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot over 1m6f, so the step back up in distance should suit. He is yet to be sent off bigger than 4-1 in his career and looks set to go off as the favourite here.

Los Angeles (Ryan Moore, second from right) wins the Great Voltigeur

Illinois (second left): chased home Los Angeles at York last time outCredit: Edward Whitaker

Jan Brueghel

Unbeaten in three starts, supplementing an eight-length 1m2f Curragh maiden win when scoring by a neck in a Group 3 over that same course and distance. Made to work hard to justify 4-5 favouritism in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last time out, but the runner-up, Bellum Justum, has since franked that form with a victory in the Nashville Derby at Kentucky. The Gordon has acted as a solid springboard for the St Leger in recent years and, with plenty of stamina in his pedigree, Jan Brueghel looks highly likely to benefit from the step up in trip.

Grosvenor Square

Was viewed as a potential Derby horse after bolting up in the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes on his final start at two, but finished well held in the Chester Vase and Irish Derby on his first two starts this season. He benefitted from the switch to front-running tactics when caught late by stablemate Tower Of London in the Group 2 Curragh Cup in July, before bolting up by 20 lengths when dropped into Group 3 company next time. This represents a far tougher challenge, but he's dangerous to rule out.

Grosvenor Square: wide-margin winner at the CurraghCredit: Patrick McCann

Sunway

Winner of the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud on his final start last season, supplementing a Sandown maiden success. Has failed to add to his tally in five starts this season but he finished just three-quarters of a length behind Los Angeles when a fast-finishing second in the Irish Derby and comes into this on the back of a respectable fourth in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot. The step up in trip, predicted softer ground and return to three-year-old-only company all look positive, but he may prove vulnerable to a classier rival.

Verdict

You Got To Me is a fascinating addition to a competitive St Leger with the Irish Oaks winner holding every chance of seeing out this trip. Any rain would likely prove detrimental to her chances though, whereas an ease shouldn't inconvenience Jan Brueghel, who is favoured to land the final British Classic of the season. Aidan O'Brien's colt looks a surefire improver for this extra yardage having looked strongest at the line in the 1m4f Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last time.