2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Preview – DS
2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Preview
We have a packed schedule this week. In the Emerald Isle it is Irish Champions Weekend and in England, we have the St Leger Meeting at Doncaster. Dave Stevos is hoping to get back on track after a tough day last Saturday, his 2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday tips are below.
1.15 Doncaster – PJ Towey Handicap (Class 2)
First of all, the going. It is currently good to soft, good in places at Donny and with a few showers forecast, it is likely to stay that way. One horse who should relish the conditions is the Ian Williams’ trained Supido.
This French recruit has raced exclusively on good or good to firm since moving to Britain. His last two runs have not been as good as his first two but the return to slightly easier conditions looks a huge positive for this son of Blue Point.
In France, his first four runs came on good to soft ground and he racked up form figures of 1231, the third coming in Listed company at Vichy. He’s now 1lb lower than when beaten just 1.5l in the Britannia at Royal Ascot in June, hopefully Billy Loughnane can steer him into the money again at odds of 14/1.
2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Supido e/w @ 14/1 (4 places)
1.50 Doncaster – Champagne Stakes (Group 2)
We are already on Cape Ashizuri in this G2 for the Juveniles at 14s and he has been clipped into 12s and 10s now with most firms. Hopefully he runs a big race, you can read my reasoning for backing him here.
2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Cape Ashizuri already advised e/w @ 14/1
2.15 Leopardstown – Ingabelle Stakes (Listed)
The one that interests me most of those at double figure odds here is Caught U Sleeping. Trained in Meath my Noel Meade, this daughter of Cotai Glory made a nice impression when winning her maiden in good style on debut at Naas three weeks ago.
Held up behind the pace, as they travelled up the straight it looked like she might encounter traffic problems. However, her rider managed to angle out, she showed a bit of courage to go through the gap and while she baulked a little bit to her left when he gave her a tap with the persuader, she kept on nicely to score by 1.25L.
That form has yet to be really tested but there was plenty to like about the manner of her victory. I think she’ll be well suited by a more strongly run race so hopefully, they go a decent clip here. If they do, Caught U Sleeping can hopefully nick some precious black type at odds of 14/1.
2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Caught U Sleeping e/w @ 14/1
2.25 Doncaster – Portland Handicap (Heritage)
A high draw is usually advantageous in this 5.5f sprint. Only one horse has managed to win from a single figure stall since 2011 and the one that appeals most from a high draw at a price here is the Tim Easterby trained Fivethousandtoone.
He was last sighted running in the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon. He ended up in sixth place, 3.5l behind the winner, but he didn’t get the clearest of runs and he could and should have finished a fair bit closer.
With Warren Fentiman’s claim he is effectively 5lb lower here and he has a nice draw in stall 19. His yard is in flying form and while he hasn’t won on turf since scoring at Goodwood on good to soft ground in 2022, that last effort proved he can be competitive off this sort of mark on the grass. At odds of 20/1, Fivethousandtoone is the e/w selection.
2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Fivethousandtoone e/w @ 20/1 (6 places)
2.50 Leopardstown – Sovereign Path Handicap (Premier)
Three-year-olds have a decent record in this valuable handicap and Tribal Nation could go well for Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne-McMonagle. Gelded since a disappointing run at Killarney in July, this horse will have no issues on the rain softened ground at Leopardstown.
A winner of a Galway maiden on heavy last year, he ran a blinder on his handicap debut at Naas on yielding back in April off 93 and he followed that up with another solid effort when a 2.75l sixth of 20 off the same mark in the Britannia at Royal Ascot in June on good to firm.
The assessor dropped the son of Wootton Bassett back to 92 after that Killarney run so he is weighted to run well, and he also gets the 4lb 3yo allowance. The fact that he already has experience of running in big field handicaps is a big positive for me and while his odds of 12/1 aren’t massive, they are just about big enough to warrant an e/w interest.
2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Tribal Nation e/w @ 12/1 (5 places)
3.00 Doncaster – Park Stakes (Group 2)
I’m a big fan of Room Service but I am amazed that connections are persisting at this 7f trip. His runs at Haydock (when we backed him at huge odds) and York suggested he was screaming out for 1m, and he got outpaced again over that trip in a G2 in Ireland last time.
They are sticking cheekpieces on him now and he has won here before, so I can see why there has been a few bob for him. However, I remain convinced that he wants 1m so hopefully he gets outpaced again here and we can back him next time at much bigger odds if he steps up in trip.
At bigger odds, East Hampton is capable of going close here if he produces his best. The Irish raider finished well ahead of Room Service when a neck second to Diego Velazquez in the Minstrel at the Curragh. Ok, he was sixth in a Cork listed race last time but it wasn’t a terrible run and he was only 1.75l behind the winner.
If he can get back to the form he showed at the Curragh in July he is no 16/1 shot here and at those odds, East Hampton has to be worth chancing each way.
2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Tip: East Hampton e/w @ 16/1 NAP
3.40 Doncaster – St Leger Stakes (Group 1)
The main event at Doncaster on Saturday and only seven go to post. Scandinavia is all the rage for Ballydoyle, who supply three of the top four in the betting. The dual Derby winner Lambourn is next best in the market at 5/2, with Paddy Twomey’s Carmers in at 5/1 and Stay True at 8s for Ballydoyle.
I’d have been interested in Furthur if we had eight runners but it is hard to see any of the other outsiders making a significant impact. Rahiebb got to within a length of Carmers and Furthur at Ascot so he is arguably overpriced at around 28s, but his best turf efforts have come on good to firm ground.
It’s a busy weekend with plenty of better betting opportunities so it makes sense to leave this race well alone. No bet.
2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Tip: No Bet
3.50 Leopardstown – CMG Group Stakes (Group 3)
I have already tipped up It’s A Heartbeat at 50s for this race (read why here) and she’s been nibbled into 33s. I’m happy to stick with her, fingers crossed she outruns her odds.
2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Tip: It’s A Heartbeat already advised e/w @ 50/1
4.25 Leopardstown – Matron Stakes (Group 1)
Our 100/1 Ascot winner Cercene drops back to a mile here, but she would prefer much quicker ground than this. She may well have the class to get the job done but I am going to take her on with the horse that finished fourth behind her in the Coronation Stakes, Cathedral.
This daughter of Too Darn Hot has since left Ralph Beckett and is now in the care of Kevin Phillipart De Foy. She was 2.75l behind Cercene at Ascot (Exactly 2.75l behind in sixth) and she has since finished a 2.5l second in a Chantilly G2 over 1m1f on soft ground where she probably didn’t quite see out the trip.
I am hoping she can uphold Ascot form with Exactly and on this softer ground, I am also hoping she can turn the tables on Cercene. At odds of 18/1, back Cathedral e/w.
2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Cathedral e/w @ 18/1 (4 places)
4.55 Leopardstown – Solonaway Stakes (Group 2)
This looks a wide-open contest and if Copacabana Sands is ridden with more restraint than she was at Tipperary last time, I think she is more than capable of going close here on ground she will relish.
She won back-to-back races earlier this season, a listed heat at Naas (7f, good) and then a G3 over 7f at this venue on soft on her penultimate start. That win here was her best run by far and she was held up for a late run, whereas last time at Tipperary she raced keenly close to the early pace, weakening into fourth late on.
The 3yo daughter of Sands Of Mali gets a nice bit of weight from her older rivals and Michael O’Callaghan has enlisted the services of Cliff Lee for the ride. The ground will suit, she should get 1m and she’ll hopefully be doing her best work at the finish if Lee takes his time on her. At odds of 20/1, Copacabana Sands is the each way selection.
2025 Leopardstown & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Copacabana Sands e/w @ 20/1 NB
5.30 Leopardstown – Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1)
We backed the Japanese raider Shin Emperor at 16s when he finished third in this last year, but the ground was quicker that day. He struggled on his sole previous start on softer than good in the Arc last year, so he doesn’t make as much appeal this time, especially at odds of just 7/1.
We also backed Royal Champion earlier this season at Royal Ascot, where he ran poorly, but he left that behind when hosing up in the G2 York Stakes in July. However, he is another one who would probably prefer much quicker ground than he’s likely to get here.
This is a race which looks likely to be dominated by horses near the head of the market so it doesn’t make much appeal as a betting heat. I’d imagine Delacroix and Anmaat will fight it out for first, but don’t discount White Birch back on his beloved soft ground.
