Thursday Doncaster St Leger Preview and Tips – DS
Thursday Doncaster St Leger Meeting Tips
Saturday was another day where we had to be happy with a couple of places. Maries Diamond wasn’t beaten far in 3rd but non runners meant it was win only. Universal Order (33s) and Ropey Guest (16s) both placed and Fantasy Believer would have with a clear run. Jacovec Tavern was the most disappointing one, though I’m not sure he was trying that hard. Dave Stevos has already posted his ante-post Leger fancy here. You can check out his Thursday Doncaster St Leger meeting tips below.
1.25 Doncaster – Nursery Handicap (Class 2)
The heavy rain that was forecast for Doncaster finally arrived after racing today. It will likely be softer tomorrow than the current description of good to soft. A field of 10 juveniles will go to post in the opener, a 6.5f, £50k nursery. It is a nice pot and it is an open betting heat. Only one of these has ever run on soft so it’s a guessing game as to who might handle the conditions. Bonny Angel is the current market leader after her handicap debut win off 72 last time out. She is 5lbs higher now and she was flat out to win by a neck so she’ll need to improve again.
Lively Outsider
At bigger odds, perhaps Speriamo can run into the frame. Trained by Philip McBride, this son of Outstrip finished 2.5L behind Misty Blues at Pontefract last time out (6f gd/fm). He was conceding 4lbs to the Easterby horse who re-opposes here off level weights (including Kirrane’s 3lb claim. That last run was 81 days ago and this is his first run since.
He returns with his trainer in brilliant form (last two runners have won) and Neil Callan is an eye-catching booking. Callan is 3/25 when riding for this yard with a further 9 Top 5 finishes. A mark of 78 looks fair on the form of his win at Kempton and if he has strengthened up during his holidays and handles the ground, Speriamo could sneak into the frame at odds of 11/1. His half brother Crazy Luck handles an ease so hopefully this lad does too.
Thursday Doncaster St Leger Meeting Tips: Speriamo e/w @ 11/1
2.00 Doncaster – Weatherbys Scientific Stakes (Class 2)
With a rating of 103, Cold Case should be winning this carrying 9st 4lbs. He was awarded that rating on the back of a 5L 3rd in a York G2 last time out. He went into that contest rated just 89 and he had the 92 rated Galeron 5L behind him in 6th. They met of level weights at York but this time, Galeron will get 7lbs from the fav. That is a fair chunk of weight and he should be able to close the gap markedly, if not turn it around. However, soft ground is an unknown for both of them.
Because we had such a dry summer, soft ground is an unknown for nearly all of these. Good to soft is as testing as it has been but this will be very different. My original selection for this was Once More For Luck but I’m not sure he’ll like the ground. Pjanoo has at least ran on good to soft before and it was arguably his best effort. His sire won twice on soft, his dam is by Cockney Rebel whose progeny often like soft ground and his half sister ran her best race on soft. This definitely isn’t a race for maximum stakes but at 40/1, Pjanoo is worth chancing e/w for small stakes.
Thursday Doncaster St Leger Meeting Tips: Pjanoo e/w @ 40/1 (5 Places Betfair)
2.15 Epsom – Jump Jockeys Derby (Class 2)
Just like at Doncaster, the ground conditions at Epsom are on a knife edge. Currently good to soft, there is more rain forecast so I am going to go for a horse that enjoys testing conditions. Vissani hasn’t done a whole lot since joining Ian Williams from France. He has had three runs so far, all on good ground, but there is reason to believe that easier ground will show him in a far better light.
The 4yo son of Dariyan only ever raced on ground with soft in the description in France. On his fifth start he finally got off the mark, over 12f on very soft ground at Moulins. He had his first try at 12f in the UK last time at Ffos Las but the ground was quick. The handicapper has given him a real chance by dropping him 4lbs for that effort and the cheekpieces are applied. Maybe this horse is simply regressive but he could also just be ground dependent and at the odds, it is worth chancing that he is the latter. Vissani is the e/w selection at odds of 16/1.
Thursday Epsom Tips: Vissani e/w @ 16/1 (4 places)
2.35 Doncaster – May Hill Stakes (Group 2)
The interesting one at a price here is Dubai Jemila. This daughter of Dubawi was a big eyecatcher over 5f on debut at Beverley. Yes, she was beaten 7L but that doesn’t tell the whole story. She fell out of the stalls and 1f out she was last and a good 12/13L behind the very fast winner Lady Hollywood. She finished off better than most though and she nearly got up for 3rd.
Kevin Ryan stepped her up 2f to 7f next time and she made no mistake. She broke well, led, got headed a furlong out but battled back bravely to win by almost 1L. The runner up had won on debut so there is at least some bit of substance to the form and on run style and pedigree, another furlong should pose zero problems.
Dance In The Grass has the best form and deserves to be fav and Mottisant has some decent stakes form in the bag too. However, Dubai Jemila could have plenty of improvement in her upped to a mile and good Dubawi horses usually act on any ground. At 33/1, she is the e/w pick.
Thursday Doncaster St Leger Meeting Tips: Dubai Jemila e/w @ 33/1
3.10 Doncaster – Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes (Group 2)
Glenartney is surely overpriced at 18/1 in this 14f G2. Trained by Ed Walker, this daughter of Le Havre ran a massive race in a Deauville G2 last time. She tried to make all over 12f and in the end she was only beat 0.75L for the win by Sea La Rosa. That filly is rated 106 and on the evidence of that run, and her listed win, Glenartney probably deserves to be rated a couple of pounds higher than 99.
This filly will appreciate stepping back up to 14f. She flopped over the distance at Goodwood but she ran a blinder over 14f at York in May, beat just 1.75L into 3rd by Believe In Love (11/2 for this). The fav Eshaada has yet to race over this far and she has not fired in her two appearances this season. On a line through Sea La Rosa Glenartney has zero to find with 8/1 shot Urban Artist and I think odds of 18/1 are far too big for this ground versatile filly who has run well on soft at Doncaster in the past.
Thursday Doncaster St Leger Meeting Tips: Glenartney e/w @ 18/1 NAP
3.45 Doncaster – Cazoo Handicap (Class 2)
A very nice pot but again, a fairly modest turnout with just 10 due to run. Zainalarab has won his last three and he heads the market at 15/8. He is by a top sire in Wootton Bassett and on the evidence of his handicap debut win last time, a 5lb rise may not be sufficient to stop him. Of those at bigger odds, Spangled Mac looks too big at 16/1. George Boughey’s son of Starspangledbanner is really interesting now stepping back up to 7f.
This fella is 2/2 over 7f and he has only finished outside the first three once from nine starts. That was last time at York when he was 10th over 6f. However, he was only beat 5L for the win and he shaped like he needed further. It was a similar story when he ran at Ascot over 6f in the Shergar Cup. Nicola Currie had him out the back and after getting outpaced, he flew home and just failed to reel in the winner (who won off 88 that day and then won next time off 94).
His debut win came on good to soft so rain shouldn’t be an issue and he is just 3lbs higher than for that Shergar Cup effort. Kevin Stott gets the leg up for the first time on this horse today but that isn’t a worry. He’s been ridden by four different jockeys for each of his four wins. Stott is 2/7 for Boughey and he steered a 125/1 shot into the places for him on Thursday. Spangled Mac isn’t quite as big but at 16/1, he is still worth backing e/w.
