St Leger Tips 2024: Jan the man for Classic occasion

In just over 24 hours, a field of seven - find our runner-by-runner guide here - will go to post at Doncaster bidding to win the Betfred St Leger.

Ahead of the world's oldest Classic, I've come up with two St Leger Tips 2024 - including one for Aidan O'Brien, who hopes to win it for the eighth time.

Jan Brueghel @ 4/1

The closer we get to raceday, the more I fancy JAN BRUEGHEL to win the Betfred St Leger.

Aidan O'Brien's unbeaten Galileo colt looks made for it. He appears to have the stamina and class the Master of Ballydoyle, who knows a thing or two about winning the race, insists is necessary for the longest of the five British Classics.

The full-brother to 2019 Irish Derby hero Sovereign took until late May to make his debut, but he wasted no time in showing what he's about, giving the 87-rated Ozark Daze an eight-length thumping in a Curragh maiden.

Since then he's won a couple of Group 3s, including the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last month which was franked by the runner-up Bellum Justum taking the Nashville Derby at Kentucky Downs recently.

Jan Brueghel had to work hard for both victories, but he's been learning on the job and they were slowly-run affairs that won't have suited the stamina-laden colt. The fact he knuckled down on both occasions and got the job done is the most important part.

There's likely to be plenty of pace on with Grosvenor Square in the lineup, so I suspect we're set to see the best of this exciting young horse.

Other stablemate Illinois, who's the choice of Wayne Lordan with Ryan Moore at Leopardstown for the Irish Champion Stakes, appears to be Ballydoyle's first-string, but that doesn't worry me at all for the betting favourite was the obvious pick, despite winning just one of his last six starts.

In fact, Lordan's decision means Sean Levey gets the ride on the selection and I'm a big fan, so I actually see it as a bit of a positive.

Hopefully he has his Weetabix in the morning, for Jan Brueghel is unlikely to be an easy ride, but I think O'Brien has given Richard Hannon's stable jockey an excellent chance of winning a second Classic - third including the Irish editions.

Deira Mile e/w @ 14/1

I've already tipped DEIRA MILE at 20/1 antepost, but I think he remains good value at 14s so I'll make the case again.

Owen Burrows' three-year-old Camelot colt caught my eye when fourth, seven-and-a-half lengths behind the outstanding City Of Troy, in the Betfred Derby at Epsom in June and I thought his subsequent run at Windsor the other week was an adequate prep for what's been his big target for a while now.

Sure, it's hard not to be at least a little disappointed that he couldn't beat the 102-rated Sea Of Roses, but ultimately it was a slowly-run race featuring just four horses over an inadequate 1m3f on a sharp track after 84 days on the sidelines, so there's several reasons to be forgiving.

He was very strong through the line, though, and he's always shaped like this 1m6f distance will be optimal, so it's fair to say I'm expecting significant improvement on Saturday. That's no doubt needed, but he's officially only six pounds inferior to the top-rated Illinois, which is nowhere near as drastic as the current market suggests.

As the Leger is an Extra Place Race, with three on offer instead of two, this one's an each-way suggestion.

Click the link for all the latest Horse Racing Odds

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights