The excitement is palpable as the historic Doncaster Town Moor prepares to host the 2025 St Leger Stakes, the final Classic of the British Flat racing season. As Saturday, September 13, 2025, dawns, horse racing enthusiasts from across the globe are turning their attention to one of the oldest and most prestigious contests in the sport. With a lucrative prize fund and a field packed with talent, this year’s renewal promises to be a true test of stamina, strategy, and nerve.
The Group 1 St Leger Stakes, steeped in tradition, is more than just a race—it’s a rite of passage for three-year-old thoroughbreds and a proving ground for their trainers and jockeys. This year, the field is headlined by a strong trio from the legendary Aidan O’Brien, who is eyeing an extraordinary third consecutive victory and a record-extending ninth St Leger win. The Irish maestro’s stable sends out Scandinavia, Lambourn, and Stay True, each with their own compelling form lines and stories.
Scandinavia, the favorite and market leader, arrives at Doncaster in red-hot form. Trained by O’Brien and piloted by Tom Marquand, Scandinavia is fresh off a commanding victory in the Goodwood Cup, where he bested older horses, including the notable Illinois. That triumph cemented his status as the one to beat in this stamina-sapping 1 mile, 6½ furlong contest. Frankie Dettori, the Italian legend who has conquered the St Leger on six occasions, is throwing his considerable weight behind Scandinavia, stating, “I really like Scandinavia. We know he stays and he hasn’t been campaigned the hardest way through Derbys and the like, so he comes into the race with a strong profile. He would be my pick at the moment.”
O’Brien’s other leading light is Lambourn, a dual Derby winner whose earlier season exploits made him the toast of the racing world. However, Lambourn’s recent fifth-place finish in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York has raised some eyebrows. Once considered a near-certainty for Classic glory, he now faces questions about his current form and reliability. As Dettori puts it, “If Lambourn turns up, you won’t find many better than a dual Derby winner, but I don’t think he’s going to win this.”
Completing O’Brien’s trio is Stay True, a colt who could well be the joker in the pack. After winning a Leopardstown maiden and just missing out in the Lingfield Derby Trial, Stay True shaped with promise in the Great Voltigeur and is partnered by the talented French jockey Mickael Barzalona. While not the headline act, Stay True’s steady progress and O’Brien’s knack for springing surprises with so-called “third-string” runners means he can’t be discounted.
The home team isn’t without its own aces. Paddy Twomey’s Carmers is a major contender, having extended his unbeaten streak earlier in the season with a win in the Group 2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. Carmers’ versatility and tenacity were on full display as he stepped up to the St Leger trip, and he lost little in defeat in the Great Voltigeur. Twomey’s charge has been aimed at this race for months, and his connections will be hoping for a bold show on Saturday.
Andrew Balding, another respected trainer, sends out two runners: Furthur and Tarriance. Furthur, bred at Iverk House, made a big impression when taking the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury in August and has shown his mettle in the Chester Vase and the Queen’s Vase. Balding’s colt seems to be peaking at the right time, and his supporters will be watching closely. Tarriance, meanwhile, comes off a narrow defeat in the Melrose Handicap at York, but many observers question whether that form is strong enough to trouble the principals here.
Rahiebb, trained by Roger Varian, rounds out the field. Despite some decent performances—most notably a third-place finish behind Carmers in the Queen’s Vase after encountering early trouble—Rahiebb is widely considered to be out of his depth in this elite Group 1 company.
With only seven runners set to go to post, the 2025 St Leger promises a tactical affair with few hiding places. The small field means there should be no hard-luck stories, and the emphasis will be squarely on stamina, as Dettori notes: “It’s a lovely, fair track and the Leger really puts the emphasis on stamina. For a long time, not many people even attempted the Triple Crown, but Camelot came the closest anyone has since. It’s the oldest Classic, steeped in tradition, and I remember one year when the first five home were all incredible Group 1 winners. I don’t think it will disappoint this Saturday.”
The St Leger’s rich history is never far from the minds of those involved. Dettori, reflecting on his own six victories, recalls, “Classic Cliche was my 1,000th winner and Shantou was my first for John Gosden. Conduit was my first for Sir Michael Stoute, he’d tried with Lester Piggott and all the best jockeys, but in the end a little Italian man managed to do it for him! Then there was Sixties Icon for Jeremy Noseda, Scorpion for Aidan O’Brien, which also marked the start of the Coolmore–Godolphin rivalry and landed me in a bit of hot water at the time and later Logician, who absolutely bolted up. I’d say Conduit was probably the best. He went on to win the Breeders’ Cup and the King George, he was a proper horse. With the St Leger, you don’t get a silver trophy, you get the iconic hat. It’s like a helmet cover, a really special tradition.”
As anticipation builds, punters are weighing their options. Scandinavia’s credentials are hard to ignore, especially with Dettori’s endorsement and a string of impressive victories. Lambourn’s reputation precedes him, but doubts linger over his recent form. Carmers and Furthur have each shown flashes of brilliance, while Stay True could easily upstage his more fancied stablemates. The betting markets reflect this intrigue, with odds shifting as race day approaches.
The 2025 St Leger at Doncaster is shaping up as a classic in every sense. With a field brimming with talent, a legendary trainer chasing history, and the promise of a fiercely run race, fans are in for a treat. As the horses parade before the grandstands and the tension mounts, one thing is certain: the Town Moor will witness another unforgettable chapter in the storied history of the St Leger Stakes. The action is set, the players are ready, and the world of horse racing waits to see who will etch their name into the annals of sporting greatness.
