'The O'Brien colt will do most damage' - bookmakers share their big-race fears

The 2021 St Leger festival goes up a gear on Thursday at Doncaster with various short-priced favourites set to grace Town Moor, followed by Irish Champions Weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Find out who the bookmakers fear most this week . . .

Paddy Power: 'Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore scare us most'

Nowadays ahead of the big festivals, with Cheltenham probably the only exception, we don't really fear any individual horses and our main concern is combinations on jockeys or trainers. Oisin Murphy, who has been on fire lately, is the rider we fear most as combinations for all his mounts have increased in recent weeks.

Frankie Dettori can still present a problem and Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore scare us most on Irish Champions Weekend. Hurricane Lane is obviously a clear standout in the Leger (). He promises to be the banker for many punters and will be a popular selection in everyone's multiples so getting him beaten should mean a profitable day.

St Mark's Basilica has been a warm order for the Irish Champion Stakes (2.45, Saturday) for the last few weeks, although Tarnawa has certainly not gone unbacked recently. The former is still likely to be the one we'd want turned over, particularly if O'Brien and Moore have a strong start to the day. Bring it on!
Paul Binfield

High Definition: supplemented for the St LegerCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Coral: 'The addition of High Definition has breathed new life into the market'

The Cazoo St Leger market (3.35, Saturday) has been dominated by Hurricane Lane for a while now and, although the Godolphin colt will be a popular selection even at his cramped odds, the addition of High Definition to the field has breathed new life into the betting on the season's final Classic.

Elsewhere at Doncaster, Her Majesty's Reach For The Moon has shortened at the head of the Champagne Stakes betting (2.20, Saturday), and the royal runner is one of a trio of short-priced favourites – along with Inspiral (2.40, Thursday) and Stradivarius (2.40, Friday) – that Frankie Dettori backers will have high hopes for on Town Moor.

In Ireland, St Mark's Basilica is shading favouritism for the Irish Champion () but with Tarnawa and Poetic Flare in opposition we're not running scared of the Coral-Eclipse winner just yet, while Sunday's Arc trials should live up to their billing, despite the absence of big-race second-favourite Adayar from the Prix Niel. Snowfall can cement her position at the head of next month's big race with victory in the Vermeille.
David Stevens

Sky Bet: 'He is odds-on and continues to be very well backed for the Leger'

Hurricane Lane (3.35, Saturday) has been extremely popular in the last fortnight and is easily our worst result. Immediately after his win in the Irish Derby we were 4-1, which was taken by our customers. After an emphatic win in the Grand Prix de Paris, his position at the head of the market was cemented.

He is odds-on and continues to be very well backed for the Leger. If there is an each-way option in the race it looks like it might be Sir Lucan, who has been backed in the outright market and also in the betting without the favourite.
Michael Shinners

Ryan Moore: popular with punters in the Far EastCredit: Antony Jones

Tote: 'Find one they don't like and you're guaranteed a payout that smashes the SP'

The great thing about the Tote is not fearing any particular winner, but with the World Pool in action at Leopardstown (20-countries' totes betting into one massive pool) and the Tote guarantee vs SP in force, our biggest payouts come when the mountain of money from Hong Kong gets behind a Ryan Moore favourite and makes it 1.50 v the UK 11-8 and we have to make up the difference. They're the races punters need to keep an eye on.

With the guarantee against SP in place, combined with the enhanced online dividend, we regularly end up betting overbroke on the final book – and average just 103 per cent. Find one the Far East don't like and you're guaranteed a payout that smashes the SP. Play the favourite with Betfair or the bookies and the rags on the Tote and you can lock in a profit.
Jamie Hart

The Punting Club: submit your questions ahead of a St Leger and ICW special

Unibet: 'He's starting to look pretty solid as some of his main rivals drop out'

The Gosden-Dettori axis will be extremely popular with Inspiral (2.40, Thursday) and Free Wind (3.15, Thursday), and we'll need at least one of these beaten to turn a profit on Thursday. Friday's Doncaster Cup will once again focus around Gosden and Dettori with Stradivarius () starting to look pretty solid as some of his main rivals drop out due to drying ground conditions. On Saturday Hurricane Lane (3.35)will be the one the punters latch on to in the St Leger and we'll have the field running for us against the Godolphin hotpot.
Brett Williams

Betfair: 'He will be one that punters want to be with given Dettori's recent record'

We've no big liabilities to report at this stage, but if Frankie rides the supplemented High Definition in the Leger () as expected then he will be one that punters want to be with given his recent record for Aidan O'Brien in big races.

In Ireland, the double of St Mark's Basilica in the Irish Champion Stakes (2.45, Saturday) and Mother Earth (1.40, Saturday) in the Matron is sure to be popular.
Barry Orr

Hurricane Lane: odds-on for Classic gloryCredit: Patrick McCann

Ladbrokes: 'Punters are divided between the front two in the Irish Champion'

As far as punters are concerned, Hurricane Lane wins the St Leger (3.35, Saturday). Unfortunately for us, it is very hard to see past him so I think we will be very lucky to get a result in this. After winning the Irish Derby, interest in him really picked up. He has been backed into 4-6 from 4-1 since then and is definitely the one we will be looking to get beat.

It looks set to be full steam ahead in the Irish Champion Stakes () as St Mark's Basilica and Tarnawa lock horns in what should be an epic duel. Punters are divided between the front two, but on the day I think it'll be the Aidan O'Brien colt that'll do most damage.
Nicola McGeady

Frankie and Snowfall reunite: Dettori booked for Vermeille with Moore in Ireland

William Hill: 'They will no doubt feature in plenty of multiple bets on Saturday'

It looks a weekend where many punters will look to keep it simple and stick with the established Group 1 trainers in John Gosden, Charlie Appleby and Aidan O'Brien.

John and Thady Gosden are seemingly sending a strong team to Doncaster including some of their best two-year-olds, and Reach For The Moon (2.20, Saturday) will be a popular selection to keep the dream alive of the Queen owning the Derby winner on her Platinum Jubilee celebratory weekend. It is hard to pick holes in Hurricane Lane () and they will no doubt feature in plenty of multiple bets.

Unsurprisingly Aidan O'Brien looks as though he could dominate the Group 1 races in Ireland this weekend and victories for Mother Earth (1.40, Saturday) St Mark's Basilica () and Point Lonsdale (1.10, Saturday) would leave bookmakers facing an uphill task.
Rupert Adams

Read more about this weekend's action:

Nunthorpe star Winter Power confirmed for Flying Five clash with Glass Slippers

Richard Hannon: St Leger trip will 'very much' suit Derby runner-up Mojo Star

Irish Champions Weekend: essential information for the sublime two-day festival

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