Enceladus has made huge strides this season in winning all three starts and there are high hopes that he will steal the show in the 250th running of the St. Leger on Saturday (12 September) at Doncaster.

The oldest of Britain’s five Classic races, and for the first time under the World Pool banner, the Group 1 over the testing 2905m features 11 contenders including Aidan O’Brien-trained, Ronan Whelan-ridden Christmas Day, who is trying to become the first G1 Derby Stakes (2405m) winner to add the St. Leger to his Classic portfolio since Reference Point in 1987.

Christmas Day and Enceladus are likely to be fighting it out for favouritism with the latter trained by Aidan’s 33-year-old son Joseph, who is enjoying a fabulous season.

Enceladus joined the party quite late and competed in his first Group race when pulling clear in the closing stages of the G3 Gordon Stakes (2405m) at Goodwood in late July, but is getting plenty of accolades from his trainer now.

Joseph O’Brien, who in the 10 years since he switched from riding has trained 24 Group 1 winners, said: “We have been thrilled with his progress and he seems to be making big steps forward all the time. We feel that he has a good chance to stay the longer trip of the St. Leger and he should love the track. He’s an exciting horse.”

With Dylan Browne McMonagle recovering from a fall in August, O’Brien didn’t take much time in securing brilliant whizz kid Billy Loughnane to ride on Saturday.

O’Brien has also snapped up Saffie Osborne, another rider who is having a sparkling season, to partner Highwayman, who displayed appropriate stamina by winning the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes (2800m) at Leopardstown. Should Highwayman win, 24-year-old Osborne would be the first female jockey to win a British Classic.

Of Highwayman, O’Brien said: “He was a slow learner who has made remarkable progress in recent months. After he proved his stamina at Leopardstown we reckoned that it was worth a shot at the St. Leger. We are not afraid about swinging big.”

A couple of outsiders of interest are Alderman with Rossa Ryan booked and Tom Marquand’s mount Amelia Earhart.

Alderman was a fast-finishing fifth at long odds in the Derby before finding the ground too fast on a subsequent run. Trainer Richard Hannon, back in form after a lean spell, said: “We have given him a nice break. He is a strong horse in great shape now who just wants slow ground. If there is plenty of rain anything could happen.”

Amelia Earhart has yet to live up to the billing that saw her start favourite for the G1 Oaks (2405m) at Epsom, but she is bred to stay and could be the type to thrive in the autumn. Apart from that, she is also the only filly in a race in which they have often done well in over the years.

The G1 St. Leger (2905m) is carded as S3-1 and will be run at 10.35pm (Hong Kong time) on Saturday, 12 September.

Photo: Pat Healy Photography