St. Leger Ante-Post Tips: Back this 20/1 shot in Doncaster Classic

We are only a couple of weeks away from the 2022 Cazoo St Leger, which takes place at Doncaster racecourse on September 10, and our man Steve Chambers is here with his ante-post preview for the final Classic of the season and picks out a 20/1 each-way play for the Group 1 showpiece...

Charlie Appleby saddled the red-hot favourite Hurricane Lane to victory in last year's St Leger, and the Godolphin handler is set to unleash another warm order in the 2022 renewal as New London is currently a best-priced 10/11 favourite to claim the coveted 1m 6f 115y crown. The Dubawi colt has taken time to get going this season, but having won impressively at Newmarket two starts ago he then went and bounded to an impressive victory in the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, where he outclassed subsequent Great Voltigeur Stakes winner Deauville Legend with aplomb.

Bounding one-and-three-quarter lengths clear of that James Ferguson-trained raider that day, New London was instantly slashed in the Leger betting and he shaped like the step up to 1m 6f shouldn't pose any issues whatsoever, and he shaped like there could be a lot more to come over staying trips. This year's Leger is devoid of significant strength in depth and New London is realistically the one to side with as he should run a huge race, but at the paltry odds on offer at the moment he's no bet in the ante-post markets, and it's worth taking him on with a value alternative.

Aidan O'Brien has saddled six winners of the St Leger during his illustrious career and the master of Ballydoyle is set to unleash a strong battalion at this year's contest, and with the scratching of Changingoftheguard at the latest entry stage then there will need to be one from the Irish yard that jumps to the forefront of his squad. The potential spearhead of the O'Brien team is United Nations, who hasn't been seen on the track since beating Walk Of Stars in the Lingfield Derby Trial. Sure to be open to significant improvement that 14/1 chance will need to improve and the form of Walk Of Stars subsequently has been poor, so United Nations will need to kick on.

One of the Aidan O'Brien battalion that could run a decent race is the filly EMILY DICKINSON, who caught the eye in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and could be the standout bet in the current ante-post betting markets.

Currently a 20/1 chance, Emily Dickinson was a very creditable fourth in the Irish Oaks behind Magical Lagoon earlier in the season, but she seemed to blossom when sent over further at Goodwood, as she was beaten by Sea La Rosa and Urban Artist. Producing all her best work at the finish in that event, as she took on older horses, she could have it much easier taking on her own age here, and while she will face a huge task to down New London at the current odds she marks notable each-way value in a race devoid of significant depth.

Roger Varian's Eldar Eldarov got the better of Freddie & Martyn Meade's Zechariah when the pair clashed in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, and that pair could both take their chance. The former is a best-priced 6/1 to land Leger glory, but he was last seen being outclassed in the Group 1 Grand Prix De Paris in France, so will need to bounce back here, while Zechariah returned to winning ways in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury last time out, but this is a whole new league to contend with and at 12/1 can be ignored.

Charlie Appleby will not only have New London flying the Godolphin flag for him, but the winning machine Secret State (8/1) could bolster the Appleby charge, but he failed to down Deauville Legend in the Great Voltigeur at York, and will need to improve on that effort to figure here. Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal (8/1) who was behind New London last time out is entered for George Boughey, but he was outclassed by the market leader and will struggle.