Friday Doncaster St Leger Meeting Tips – DS
Friday Doncaster St Leger Meeting Tips
Well, what a start to the Leger Festival that was. The ground was neither soft nor good and none of my fancies handled it. Speriamo set the tone, bombing out. Pjanoo looked like he was going to come with a late challenge but he couldn’t make up the ground. Glenartney was a touch keen and bitterly disappointing, as was Spangled Mac. Back to the drawing board. Dave Stevos has already posted his ante-post Leger fancy here. You can check out his Friday Doncaster St Leger meeting tips below.
1.25 Doncaster – Mallard Handicap (Class 2)
So, what ground are we going to have on Friday? If it is the same dead ground we had on Thursday, finding winners will be akin to picking the weekend lottery numbers. The times weren’t even that slow on Thursday yet in some races they were finishing strung out like the washing. It looked like some of them were running in treacle and very few handled the conditions. So, are there any gluey ground horses in the Mallard?
I put Dark Jedi up at Haydock last time but he was pulled on account of the firm ground. He has won on soft, good to soft and good so surely he’ll be able to go on this ground. Much of the same reasoning applies as it did at Haydock. When he met Sir Chauvelin at Musselburgh in August a head separated them. Tim Easterby’s charge was conceding 9lbs to him that day. Today, he is only giving him 5lbs.
Dark Jedi is admittedly still 3lbs above his last winning rating but that Sir Chauvelin effort came off 97 and he is only 1lb higher today. Last October he was beat a neck over 12f here off 95 on soft, so we know he acts on the track. He won’t mind rain, he won’t mind if it doesn’t rain and at 16/1, Dark Jedi can hopefully sneak some place money.
Friday Doncaster St Leger Meeting Tips: Dark Jedi e/w @ 16/1 (4 Places) NAP
2.00 Doncaster – Flying Scotsman Stakes (Listed)
A very tricky puzzle. Desert Order won the traditionally strong Convivial at York last time out but he is only second best in the betting. It is Nostrum who heads the market, a first time up winner by 3L at Sandown on debut. That came on good to firm though, as have all three of Desert Order’s runs so even though there are only five runners, it might be worth taking a punt on the only horse in the race with form on an easy surface, Hougoumont.
This Rajasinghe colt hails from the shrewd yard of Julie Camacho. Top Northern jockey Paul Mulrennan retains the ride after riding this lad on his first two outings. His debut at Carlisle (6f gd/sft) was a cracking effort. He finished just a neck behind Lakota Blue, a horse that finished 7th in the Coventry on his previous start. Now, I wouldn’t take that form literally but they pulled clear of the rest and it was a hugely promising first day at school.
Next time at Newcastle he got off the mark, despite plenty going wrong. Firstly, he got bumped at the start and that lit him up. He was far too free early on then in the later stages he was looking around the place once Mulrennan went for him. To still be able to win after all that suggests this horse has plenty of ability and the addition of a hood is interesting. If that helps him to settle, Hougoumont can hopefully give us a run for our money at odds of 40/1.
Friday Doncaster St Leger Meeting Tips: Hougoumont e/w @ 40/1
2.35 Doncaster – Flying Childers Stakes (Group 2)
We were on Trillium when she won at Goodwood and she looked a bit special. The bookies are making this a match between her and The Platinum Queen, with Fahey’s filly 13/8 and Hannon’s charge at 15/8. The Platinum Queen does have the best form, a cracking effort in the G1 Nunthorpe at York last time. However, she’s never raced on anything other than good or good to firm. The same applies to Trillium. Looking at their sires, Trillium is more likely to handle the conditions but you couldn’t be piling on at short odds given the unknowns regarding ground.
Crispy Cat does at least have some form on good to soft and yielding ground. O’Callaghan and Amo are probably still complaining about The Ridler at Ascot and since that race, Crispy Cat has disappointed. Maybe the easier conditions will spark a return to form and the booking of Ryan Moore suggests that a big run is expected.
Dusty Jumping Ship
Malrescia could be the e/w value in this race. She has won on soft, she has placed in Listed company on good to soft and she hails from an in-form yard. However, at even bigger odds Lady Hamana is interesting. Dusty Foley jumps ship from Funny Money Honey to ride this daughter of Aussie sire I Am Invincible. She placed on debut at Newmarket (solid form) before making all in some style on her second start at Wolverhampton.
The 5.5L 4th at Wolves was beat a short head in a novice next time and the 5.75L 6th hacked up in a maiden by 3.25L subsequently. She had a previous winner 3L back in 2nd too so it was a decent race for the track. Obviously, this is a big step up in class but this filly has speed and this easy 5f could suit. The ground is an unknown but both her dam’s half siblings won on soft so hopefully he can handle it. At odds of 28/1, Lady Hamana is the e/w selection.
Friday Doncaster St Leger Meeting Tips: Lady Hamana e/w @ 28/1
3.10 Doncaster – Doncaster Cup Stakes (Group 2)
Trueshan should be winning this easily with no Kyprios or Stradivarius to worry about. The juice in the ground will be perfect for this stout stayer and he is rated 11lbs higher than the rest of his rivals. Coltrane wasn’t that far behind him when they met at Goodwood and he looks most likely to chase Trueshan home.
Of the rest, Get Shirty steps up in class and it remains to be seen if he is up to this level. Stratum is a quality horse and he handles soft ground. He could be the one for 3rd but to be honest, I am happy to leave this race alone. There might be a non-runner or two depending on the weather and that will mean just two places for e/w players. No bet.
Friday Doncaster St Leger Meeting Tips: No Bet
3.45 Doncaster – Cazoo Handicap (Class 2)
Last time out I Napped Able Kane at Goodwood and he landed place money in 4th. It was a brave effort considering the crazy pace he set and he may just get home over this slightly shorter trip. He won this last season but he is higher in the weights now and without Callum Hutchinson’s claim he is effectively 5lbs higher than at Goodwood. He’ll probably run his usual solid race but odds of 5/1 do not appeal in the slightest.
Juan Le Pins has won four in a row but all on quick ground. Mums Tipple ran a nice race on good to soft last time but consistency is not his strong suit. Fools Rush In seems to be best on turning tracks and Asjad has disappointed the last twice. However, he will enjoy the cut in the ground so I wouldn’t be overly surprised were he to run big.
Upset On The Cards?
As you can see, plenty of these have questions to answer so it could be ripe for an upset. Scott Dixon is never averse to having big priced winners and Zargun is looking well treated. Back in May this son of Rock Of Gibraltar was beat 0.5L by Asjad at York off 93 (now 5lbs better off). Five runs since then haven’t been as good but at least he is now down to a mark of 89.
His last win came off 92 back in October (5f gd sft) where he beat Sunday Sovereign comfortably. Easy ground is no concern and either is today’s 6.5f trip as he won over 7f in Germany and France. Dixon is on form (4/12 last fortnight) and in what looks a wide open race, Zargun looks well worth chancing e/w.
