Racing: LADBROKES ST LEGER FIXED ODDS BETTING PREVIEW

Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O'Brien knows what it takes to win the St Leger having sent out Brian Boru to win it 2003 and Milan in 2001 respectively, and it's hard to envisage that his Scorpion will fail to justify favouritism in Saturday's renewal at Doncaster.I must admit, my fingers were burnt with Proclamation last week, so it's not without a degree of trepidation that I'm recommending a wager on another relatively short-priced favourite. However, Scorpion really does look in a different world to his six rivals and, as such, I reckon the even money on offer represents good value for what looks a 'good thing'.The Danehill colt didn't see the racecourse as a juvenile, but has quickly made up into a top-class middle distance performer this season. He blotted his copybook slightly when underperforming in the French Derby, but ran an absolute corker when making ante-post Arc de Triomphe favourite Hurricane Run pull out all the stops in the Irish equivalent at The Curragh next time out, beaten just half-a-length by that illustrious rival, with the rest strung out like a marathon's burnt offerings in behind.Scorpion demonstrated his sting in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on his next and most recent outing in July when readily disposing of the highly touted French colt Desideratum. In that contest, Kieren Fallon kept Scorpion close to the pace and got an immediate and devastating response when asking him to lengthen his stride in the straight, and the pair crossed the line a ready two-and-a-half lengths ahead of Desideratum.On the evidence of those last two efforts, Scorpion would not need to improve to be a leading contender in races like the Arc and Breeders' Cup Turf, therefore he should be nigh on impossible to beat in a race where he will be facing horses that are very decent, but not top-class - and certainly not of Group One standard - on Saturday.It is interesting, though, that Aidan O'Brien is still letting Avalon take his chance. The lightly-raced colt shaped extremely well for one so inexperienced when coming home a close-up third behind Hard Top and The Geezer, a duo he will renew acquaintance with at the weekend, in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, a race that traditionally acts as a valuable pointer to a horse's Leger credentials.Indeed, Avalon should improve and may well be capable of turning the tables with Hard Top and The Geezer with the extra two furlongs to travel likely to be firmly in his favour. It may well be a one-two for Ballydoyle.Hard Top will be bidding to break Sir Michael Stoute's hoodoo, as the St Leger remains the only Classic that the South African handler has yet to train the winner of. It would certainly be folly to think that this well-bred colt will not give a good account, as he too should benefit from the step up in trip and has the scope to improve further given that he's had just three career starts.The Geezer meanwhile, continues to run well and looked poised for victory in the Voltigeur before Hard Top mugged him close home. Again, he should run his race and go well, but he's unlikely to get the cut in the ground that he evidently relishes and, overall, he looks vulnerable to a less exposed type. Have a free fifty pound bet with VCBET!