2026 Doncaster & Leopardstown Saturday Preview

Dave Stevos has already posted four selections for an e/w L15 this weekend, you can see who he fancies here. Tomorrow is a massive day on both sides of the Irish Sea and while Dave won’t be previewing every race, he is going to try to find some solid e/w bets. His 2026 Doncaster & Leopardstown Saturday previews and tips are below.

1.35 Leopardstown – Ingabelle Stakes (Listed)

We kick off proceedings on Saturday with this Listed contest for the 2yo fillies. Timeless Tale, an exceedingly impressive winner of a Naas maiden 20 days ago, is the 15/8 favourite. By Sioux Nation, who has a propensity to produce really smart fillies, it would be no surprise to see her run a massive race.

At bigger odds, Maeda Matsu looks overpriced. Sheila Lavery has had a pretty quiet season but she is starting to hit form and this filly ran an absolute cracker on debut in the Ballyhane Stakes at Naas (6f, good) at odds of 100/1 to chase home Livenka and pick up 38k in prize money.

No Fluke

The daughter of Dubawi Legend proved that was no fluke on her next start, this time over 7f back at Naas (good), defying weakness in the market to win her maiden pretty cosily. Yes, she only beat an 81 rival by less than a length but she wasn’t given a hard race and to my eye, it looked like there was plenty more in the tank.

She’s drifting in the betting again here but that doesn’t put me off in the slightest and from a nice draw in stall 3, hopefully Rory Cleary can steer her into the money again at odds of 16/1.

2026 Doncaster & Leopardstown Saturday Tip: Maeda Matsu e/w @ 16/1 NAP

2.10 Leopardstown – Sovereign Path Handicap (Premier)

I have already put Tokenomics up for this race (read why here) and while I was hoping they’d claim off top weight, I am still pretty hopeful he can go close back in a handicap. I’ll stick to my guns.

2026 Doncaster & Leopardstown Saturday Tip: Tokenomics already advised e/w @ 20/1 (5 places)

2.20 Doncaster – Portland Handicap (Heritage)

Jim Goldie has won three of the last four renewals of this valuable handicap and he is relying on last year’s winner Eternal Sunshine this year. She arrives in top form after a win at Hamilton, she has a nice draw and she should go well, but she’ll need to produce a big career best off this mark.

The one that might be up to springing a surprise if he can get back to anywhere near his best is the Hamad Al Jehani trained The Strikin Viking. He’s yet to hit top form this year and has finished well beaten on his last two starts in handicaps at Pontefract and Chester.

Group Form

However, he may have needed the run after a few months off at Ponte and I’m not sure 7f around Chester was to his liking last time out. Just under a year ago this horse was beaten just 1.25l in a 5f G2 at Woodbine. Last August, he won a G3 at Baden Baden and on both of those runs, he looks dangerously well handicapped off a reduced mark of 98.

Now, it must be said that maybe this horse has simply lost his way and is a busted flush, but that is reflected in his odds of 50/1. However, he has had valid excuses the last twice and at the prices, I’ll have a speculative e/w punt.

2026 Doncaster & Leopardstown Saturday Tip: The Strikin Viking e/w @ 50/1 (5 places)

2.55 Doncaster – Park Stakes (Group 2)

More Thunder is a warm order for this 7f Group 2 and if he runs to his rating of 119, he’s going to be very hard to beat. However, he hasn’t been shaping as though he wanted to drop back in trip on his four runs over 1m this season so that has to be a slight concern for favourite backers.

The one in here that might outrun his long odds is the Steph Hollinshead trained 5yo Myal. By Al Kazeem, this 5yo is a stable star and he has gone well fresh in the past. He has been given a break since a below par, but still respectable, run in a Listed heat at Chester in July and while that form won’t be good enough at this higher level, his previous run in a 7f Listed at Haydock (good) would give him a place chance here.

C&D Winner

A C&D winner, in that Haydock race he found just proven G1 performer Lake Forest too good. Yes, he was beaten over 5l into second but he had horses rated 110+ well behind so it was a stellar effort. Unlike the fav, he’s a 7f specialist with all seven of his wins coming at this trip.

Yes, this represents a step up in class but he’ll almost certainly be there to do his best and if there’s any rain, it won’t do his cause any harm. At odds of 28/1, Myal is the e/w selection, hopefully he can strike a blow for the smaller stables.

2026 Doncaster & Leopardstown Saturday Tip: Myal e/w @ 28/1 NB

3.15 Leopardstown – Kilternan Stakes (Group 3)

I have already put Asakir up for this race at 33s and he’s already drifted to 40s (reasoning here). Unfortunately, the sun is splitting the stones here in Dublin today so the ground might go against him. Hopefully we get a shower or two before racing tomorrow.

2026 Doncaster & Leopardstown Saturday Tip: Asakir already advised e/w @ 33/1

3.40 Doncaster – St Leger Stakes (Group 1)

This race has become something of a nemesis for me. Scope in 2021 was perhaps my most frustrating selection, given that he went on to win a G1 at Longchamp on his next start, but my last few tips for the final Classic of the season have been bitterly disappointing.

This year’s renewal looks to concern three of them, all of whom are trained by the O’Briens. Enceladus, the Derby winner Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard are at the top of the market and they look most likely to fight out the finish.

However, there is a chance that one or more of those don’t run to form and in the hope that a return to a kinder surface sparks a revival, I’m going to take a chance on the Richard Hannon trained maiden, Alderman.

Derby Form

Yes, he was soundly beaten stepped up to 1m5f at Newmarket last time but I’m blaming good to firm ground for that run. Previously, he finished off really well for fifth in the Epsom Derby on softer ground and on that effort, he looked well worth a try over further.

On his sole start on good ground this son of Study Of Man stayed on well for second in a 1m3f maiden at Newbury so once there is no firm in the ground description, he should be okay. His rating of 107 does leave him with a fair chunk to find with the top three but I think he’s open to improvement and if he was coming here after the Derby, he would probably be half his current price of 33/1.

At those odds, a small e/w interest is advised.

2026 Doncaster & Leopardstown Saturday Tip: Alderman e/w @ 33/1

3.55 Leopardstown – Matron Stakes (Group 1)

This used to be a race that could provide a big-priced winner but that hasn’t been the case in recent years. The last three winners have been sent off at 5/6, 5/4 and 9/4 and this time, fav backers will be looking to Blue Bolt to continue the sequence of short price scorers.

Rated 119 and already a dual G1 winner, her claims are obvious. Precise and True Love will likely spearhead the home challenge and you couldn’t discount Fallen Angel either. However, the bookies haven’t missed any of those horses and given that it’s such a busy weekend, I’m happy to leave this race alone. No bet.

2026 Doncaster & Leopardstown Saturday Tip: No Bet

 4.25 Leopardstown – Solonaway Stakes (Group 2)

Quddwah’s 2l second to Ombudsman at Meydan back in March stands out here but he’s been off since so his fitness must be taken on trust. I don’t think the horses at the head of the betting look bulletproof here so I am going to have a small e/w bet on the outsider of the field, Princess Child.

She’s rated 100, so she has plenty to find on paper but she went into my notebook after a good G3 effort behind City Of Memphis over 7f (good) here in early May and if I recall correctly, we backed her on her next start in a G2 at the Curragh. I was convinced the step up to 1m was going to suit and while she finished second last, it was a much, much better run than her finishing position suggests.

Traffic Problems

In the end, after meeting all sorts of traffic problems, she was only 4l behind the winner and granted a clear run, I think she could have finished 2l or even 3l closer. On her next start at Cork over 7f she was again denied a clear run and was coughing post-race, so put a line through that.

Last time out, again over 7f at Cork, she got outpaced before keeping on for a 5.25l sixth in a G3 and I think the step back up to 1m is a huge positive for her here. She’ll likely be held up for a late run so she’ll need luck in running but if she can repeat the form of her 3l fifth over 7f here in June, she might just be able to sneak a place at odds of 40/1.

2026 Doncaster & Leopardstown Saturday Tip: Princess Child e/w @ 40/1

5.00 Leopardstown – Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1)

This is essentially a rematch between the first three home in the Juddmonte International at York. Constitution River was turned over in that race by Item and Almaqam, who both finished over 3l ahead of the Ballydoyle inmate, but he’s been made favourite here. Go figure.

Item is unbeaten on good ground, his sole defeat coming on his only start on soft in The Derby. The son of Frankel looks a proper horse and for me, once the rain stays away, he is the most likely winner. Almaqam was 14s when reeled in late on in the Juddmonte but he’s just 9/2 here so he’s too short for the blog.

I can’t really make a strong case for any of the longer priced horses so I’m happy to just watch this race. No bet.

2026 Doncaster & Leopardstown Saturday Tip: No bet

-DaveStevos