2023 Doncaster and Chester Saturday Tips – DS
2023 Doncaster and Chester Saturday Tips
No joy for us again on Day 2. Power Mode was a non-runner but he is back in action this afternoon. Malc got badly outpaced before flying home for fourth but due to non-runners, most bookies ended up only paying three places. Rhythmic Intent was bitterly disappointing. Hopefully we can get at least a place on the board on Leger Day, 2023 Doncaster and Chester Saturday tips are below.
1.50 Doncaster – Champagne Stakes (Group 2)
Power Mode was our selection for the opener yesterday but he turns up here instead. He faces four rivals here and it looks a much tougher task. Three of his opponents have already shown solid form in stakes company with Sunway the only exception.
Rosallion is a short priced favourite for Hannon and Levey. This son of Blue Point is 2/2 so far and he hacked up in a Listed contest at Ascot last time out. That win came on good, his maiden win came on good to firm so today’s ground is a complete unknown.
His sire, Blue Point, has already produced a number of soft ground winners and his dam is a full sister to soft ground winner Ostilio so on pedigree, he should handle it.
Group 2 Form
Iberian was beat 1L on easy ground in a Goodwood G2 last time behind Haatem. Mountain Bear was a neck behind him in third. The Ballydoyle horse was beat 2.5L in a Curragh G3 last time out and over this trip, I’d fancy the Charlie Hills’ horse to uphold that Goodwood form.
Sunway has yet to encounter soft ground. A full brother to top class performer Sealiway (handled soft), he landed a Sandown maiden over 7f on good on debut. On similar ground next time he trailed in well behind Rosallion. The suspicion remains that he is better than that, it’ll be very interesting to see how he fares.
However, after tipping Power Mode yesterday I can’t abandon him now. His run behind Elite Status on soft is solid form and it looked like he hated the fast ground at York last time. I’d imagine he’ll be ridden to finish third to pick up some black type but hopefully he can go one place better and nick some e/w money for us at 40/1.
2023 Doncaster and Chester Saturday Tips: Power Mode e/w @ 40/1
2.05 Chester – tote Stand Cup Stakes (Listed)
The one I’m interested in here now upped in trip on soft ground is Empress Wu. Trained by in form David Simcock, we backed this daughter of Sea The Moon at York, the only time she has finished out of the frame. That run was her seasonal reappearance and she was beat 9.5l by Soul Sister. Since then, she has put together two excellent runs, nicking black type on both occasions.
At Goodwood in June she ran into 2nd in a Listed contest (10f gd/fm), beat 6l by Al Asifah with Sumo Sam 2L further back in third. Last time out she produced a career best in a Deauville G3 (10f sft), keeping on well for third after getting outpaced 2f out.
On that run she looks more than capable of reaching the frame here. Her dam is a sister to 12f winner Madame Chiang so the step up to this trip should suit and she seemed to enjoy the cut in the ground in France last time. Hayley Turner has a good record when riding for David Simcock too so at odds of 14/1, back Empress Wu e/w.
2023 Doncaster and Chester Saturday Tips: Empress Wu e/w @ 16/1
2.25 Doncaster – Portland Handicap (Heritage)
22 horses will line up in the stalls for this £100k handicap. The trip is 5.5f and it looks a stacked field. Annaf would be of huge interest here if the ground dries out to good or quicker. That looks unlikely but Mick Appleby has already landed a big race here this week with Big Evs and Annaf is a G1 level sprinter in a handicap. If there is good in the ground description, he could run a huge race.
However, the ground is most likely to be on the soft side so instead, I’ll take a chance on Dakota Gold. Now a 9yo, this son of Equiano is in off 100 today, the same mark off which he won over 6f here on soft ground last October. He returned to action this term with a fine effort off 104 at Pontefract (5f sft) where he was beat 1.75L by Live In The Dream.
Prep run
Dakota Gold was conceding 6lbs to the winner and he has since landed a G1. Another decent run at York followed (beat 3l off 104) and Micheal Dods let his charge off for a mid-season break after that effort. He returned to action at Newcastle where he predictably ran down the field. That was surely a prep run for this race and even better, the handicapper dropped him 2lbs.
Dods’ charge has previous in this race. He finished a close fourth back in 2018 and he was beat 5.75L off 102 last year. He won a Listed race at Doncaster on soft ground back in 2020 and his last visit to this track also resulted in victory. This race has surely been his long term aim so at odds of 22/1, Dakota Gold is the e/w selection.
2023 Doncaster and Chester Saturday Tips: Dakota Gold e/w @ 22/1 (6 places) NAP
2.40 Chester – Camden Hells Handicap (Class 2)
Off a mark of 85, Arthur’s Realm is worth taking a chance on here. Trained by Ed Dunlop, we have backed this lad before. We were on in March of last year when he was backed off the boards at Doncaster and he won pretty easily off 81.
Surprisingly, that was the last time the son of Camelot managed to win on turf. He has had some close calls though. He has been beat a head off 87, 1.5L off 91, and 2.25L off 87. The recurring theme for all those runs has been soft ground and there should be a bit of an ease at Chester today.
Danny Muscutt takes the ride and he won on Arthur’s Realm at Chelmsford last season off 85. Last time out this 5yo was beat 5.5L by Helm Rock at Newcastle off 86. He stayed on well over the 8f trip and on that evidence, he looks ready to step back up to 10f. He usually races pretty prominently so his draw in stall 1 is a plus, the ground will suit and Ed Dunlop is 13/94 with 38 Top 4s at Chester. At odds of 12/1, Arthur’s Realm is the e/w selection.
2023 Doncaster and Chester Saturday Tips: Arthur’s Realm e/w @ 12/1 NB
3.00 Doncaster – Betfred Park Stakes (Group 2)
Just six run and neither of the outsiders make any appeal. Pogo and Jumby would both prefer faster ground so this looks like it will be dominated by the market leaders. Spycatcher will love the ground and he is the 13/8 favourite.
Audience finished last his sole start on easy ground and while Biggles will enjoy conditions, he needs to improve now stepping up in class. Sandrine won once on heavy but the majority of her best form is on good or quicker. Spycatcher is the one to beat and this could be one for favourite backers. No bet.
2023 Doncaster and Chester Saturday Tips: No bet
3.35 Doncaster – Betfred St Leger Stakes (Group 1)
If I was asked to sum up this year’s St Leger in one word it would be ‘meh’. Just nine run and only four trainers are represented. Aidan O’Brien runs four which suggests he doesn’t have a standout contender. Continuous, a winner at York last time, is the choice of Ryan Moore but the son of Heart’s Cry seemed to relish the fast conditions at York and this ground may not be ideal.
Tower Of London would also prefer a faster surface. Alexandroupolis, on the other hand, will enjoy the ground. He won his maiden on soft at Galway and he produced a career best on heavy behind White Birch at Leopardstown on heavy. Last time at the same track he floundered on good ground after a break but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a better run from him this afternoon.
Gosden Trio
Frankie Dettori switched from Gregory to Arrest during the week. Arrest is proven on soft ground whereas Gregory has yet to encounter it. They are priced up at 9/2 and 4/1 respectively and on the forecast ground, you’d have to prefer the chances of Arrest.
Gosden also runs Middle Earth, the mount of Oisin Murphy. He won his novice on good to soft and he landed a valuable handicap at York last time off 93 (14f gd/fm). A half-brother to heavy ground winner Buckaroo, soft ground is an unknown but his sire Roaring Lion handled it so there is every chance he will too. Improvement is required but a good run could be on the cards.
Royal Interest
William Haggas runs The King’s Desert Hero. This progressive son of Sea The Stars is an 11/2 shot. He relishes a dig in the ground and he landed his first stakes race at Goodwood on soft ground last time. Chesspiece was a neck behind him in second and he re-opposes here. Over this trip you’d imagine the Haggas horse will uphold that form but even so, I’m not sure the Crisfords’ horse should be twice the price of Desert Hero at 12/1.
However, at the prices, the one I’ll take a punt on is Alexandroupolis. The horse he beat into 2nd at Galway (8.5f sft) last year subsequently won a maiden and a Listed race and is rated 109. His run behind White Birch in the G3 Ballysax on heavy (10f) wasn’t a bad effort and the winner finished 3rd in the Epsom Derby.
No Room
On his last outing Seamie Heffernan took a pull for the first two furlongs and dropped his mount out in rear. Turning in he was travelling well but Heffernan went for an impossible route up the inner and there was very little room. Alexandroupolis only finished 6th but Heffernan was very easy on him and I don’t think he got to show his full ability.
You’d imagine he’ll be ridden a bit more forward today. The return to a softer surface should suit him and he is bred for this job. His sire famously missed out on the Triple Crown over C&D to the convicted doper Mahmood Al Zarooni’s Encke and his dam is a half to 2018 Leger winner Kew Gardens.
Sean Levey is 0/15 when riding for O’Brien in the UK but he was 28/186 with 36 top 4s when riding for him in Ireland. Jim Crowley (Tower Of London) is 0/1 for O’Brien and Danny Tudhope (Denmark) is 0/1 so on jockey bookings, Alexandroupolis looks the Ballydoyle second string. He should strip fitter for that Leopardstown outing, his first run after a 144 day break, so at 28/1 he is the e/w selection.
