Key Points
- Despite unfavourable ground, my selection placed in the Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby
- This horse should really relish the step up in trip to 1m 6.5f
- This race has been his target all season, so we know he will run here, barring mishaps
After landing a huge win last Friday (Wyld Bill, who returned 19.6pts) the pressure is on to land another big winner. However, you’ll have to wait until mid-September for this one, as we look ahead to the St Leger at Doncaster! This is the final British Classic race of the 2025 Flat season, so let’s try and make it a memorable one!
As well as multiple betting tips each week, you’ll find I produce other types of content too. Included in those will be betting guides, like my recent article covering the Handicap System, big race trends, and antepost picks. As well as today’s antepost pick, be sure to check out my antepost selections for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, and the 2026 Aintree Grand National as well.
Betting advice
- The 2025 St Leger - Doncaster, Saturday 13 September -
Lazy Griff
@ 8/1 (3 places) -
0.75pt each way
William Hill are offering the best terms and a great sign up offer!
The best terms available today are 8/1 with 3 places. Whilst several bookmakers are offering this, the one I’m recommending for this Lazy Griff bet is William Hill. That is because they have a fantastic sign up offer for new customers. if you set up a new account and
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Lazy Griff can win the St Leger!
The St Leger is just over ten weeks away, however, I believe Lazy Griff can make the wait for this bet worthwhile. I also believe it’ll be wise to go early on this one as there are some questions looming over who will show up, including the current favourite, Lambourn. If Aidan O’Brien confirms that he will run elsewhere, there will be a price collapse on Lazy Griff. And if Lambourn does turn up, I think our lad will give him a race!
Despite unfavourable ground, Lazy Griff placed in both the Epsom & Irish Derby
The Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby are two incredibly tough races. Therefore, it is mightily impressive that Lazy Griff has managed to finish second and third in them respectively. When he finished second in the Epsom Derby at 50/1, many claimed it was a fluke performance and that he is not as good as the form suggests. However, I believed he was that good, so it was nice to see him back it up with a third place in the Irish Derby.
What I also find extremely impressive is that he would be at his best with some juice in the ground, and on neither occasion did he get any. To put up the performances he did, on ground quicker than he would find ideal, makes it even more noteworthy. If you watch the Irish Derby, he was niggled along with 7f to run and most of his backers would have been throwing their betting slips in the bin. However, he knuckled down to fly home and run into third.
More often than not, there will be rain at Doncaster in September, so I’m hoping there will be juice in the ground for Lazy Griff. If there is, I think he’ll have a massive chance of winning this Classic.
He should relish the step up in trip to 1m 6.5f
In the Epsom Derby, Lazy Griff really impressed me with the way he kept on through the finishing line. It became evident with around 2f to run that Lambourn was not going to be caught. At this point, it would have been easy for the horse to throw in the towel and look after himself. However, I really liked the way he dug deep to keep going and it certainly showed that he stays well.
That said, the Irish Derby was even more impressive. Rather than being in second and maintaining that position to the line, he found himself with the whole field in front of him at the 2f pole. However, after hitting a flat spot, he rallied eye-catchingly to pass all bar two of his nine rivals in that final two furlongs.
With the way he powered through the line at the Curragh, my instant thought was the St Leger, and how he would thrive on that extra two and half furlongs.
This has been Lazy Griff’s target all season, so we know he comes here barring mishaps
Ultimately, the trainer knows the horse as well as anybody and from public quotes, Charlie Johnston has always had the St Leger in his mind.
After Lazy Griff’s first run of the season at Chester, he made a few interesting comments in the post race interview. However, the one that caught my eye was this:
“With a syndicate like this, there’s only one Classic they’re dreaming of, but I might be thinking of a different one”.
While the syndicate dreams of winning the Epsom Derby, I think Charlie already had his sights set on the St Leger at this point.
Following his second in the Epsom Derby, Christophe Soumillon was interviewed and he said:
“He would be able to make the German Derby, but
I just spoke to the trainer who was asking me if he could go in the St Leger. I think that could also be an option, he stays really well”.
So, immediately after the race, Charlie was straightaway thinking about this race again.
Then in his most recent post race interview, following the Irish Derby, Charlie Johnston said:
“Good to soft ground at Donny (Doncaster) in September, we're looking forward to it!”.
Yet again, referencing the St Leger for the horse.
In another interview, Charlie said:
“Another two and a bit furlongs is exactly what this horse wants
so if the winner is going for the Leger, then bring on round four… He'll certainly have no more than one run between now and the Leger. As we've said since Chester,
the Leger is D-day and everything will revolve around that from now on."
For Lazy Griff to achieve what he has with unfavourable ground, and the trainer’s eyes firmly fixed on another race, is spectacular. Also whilst Aidan O’Brien and the team at Ballydoyle are debating the options for Lambourn, the St Leger is “D-Day” for Lazy Griff.
Can Lazy Griff win the final Classic of the season?
In a word, yes. I genuinely do believe that Lazy Griff is capable of winning the St Leger. He has got within 3-4 lengths of the outright favourite in both the Epsom and Irish Derby this season. When you then consider that the ground was against him, he is likely to get his favoured ground at Doncaster and the step up in trip could well unlock even more from him, he must have an excellent chance.
All of this is on the basis that Lambourn turns up and from comments made by Aidan O’Brien, that is far from certain. In the interview after the Irish Derby, Aidan O’Brien was leaning towards the King George or the Arc. Therefore, there is a very real possibility that he doesn’t even turn up and we subsequently don’t have to beat him. If he was directed at the other races mentioned, Lazy Griff certainly wouldn’t be an 8/1 shot in the market.
The key to antepost betting is knowing where they are going and we know this with Lazy Griff. I think he has an exceptional chance and is well worth 0.75pt each way at the current price. If I could be assured it would definitely be Good to Soft ground on the day, I’d bet more but I’m leaving it at that for now. We can always top up nearer the time if the forecast is favourable. The way I view it is that even if it was quicker ground on the day (within reason), I’d be happy to have that bet in place.
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