Doncaster St Leger Meeting - Friday 9th September

The Flying Childers Stakes looks set for another cracking renewal, and although there are lots of big stables with Requinto, Burwaaz, Lilbourne Lad and Angels Will Fall all representing powerful yards, I think it will come down to two horses, depending on the ground. If it comes up good, My Propellor will be difficult to beat, following up her impressive maiden win with a listed win at York. However my value option is KOHALA for the David Barron yard. A model of consistency, and the form from her Queen Mary 4th is absolutely rock solid. She sets the standard.

Few of interest in this one, with no real obvious stand out pick. Eternal Heart ran a good race behind Motrice at Goodwood two weeks ago, and Will Buick has kept the ride on the Mark Johnston colt, which is of interest. Precision Break won this race off a 1lb lower mark, but faces five more rivals than last year, and may struggle for fitness on only his second run of the season. The Fallon factor sways us with BOURNE, who looked an out and out potential stayer when second in the Old Newton Cup. He stayed on strongly, has that man Fallon on board, and has a low weight to carry, and the Luca Cumani gelding may hold the key.

Absolute banker of the meeting runs in the Doncaster Cup and that is my trusty OPINION POLL, whom I napped last time out in the Goodwood Cup, and should once more be too strong against a much inferior field. Trip of 2m 2f should suit the Godolphin animal moreso than anyone else, and his form is absolutely rock solid. The more rain the better, and that will only effect the winning distance. Cue a flying dismount for the Doncaster locals!

Toughest race on the card is the May Hill Stakes, a fillies group two, with some promising juveniles. Samitar sets the obvious benchmark, winning the Albany and then being an arguabley unlucky runner up at Newmarket next time out. Regal Realm looked highly progressive from her recent group three win, and has some promising entries. As does John Gosden's Fallen For You, whose maiden form has worked out well, and the daughter of Dansili is entered in the Fillies Mile at Newmarket. Hard to stray from SAMITAR however, who should relish the conditions and sets the best standard.

Another horse with a seemingly bright future is the Sheikh Hamdan horse EKTIHAAM, and although it pains me to side for a horse with Richard Hills on board, he looks to be potentially a superstar. Entered in the Royal Lodge, Dewhurst and Racing Post Trophy, he made easy work of Harvard n' Yale in his maiden, who is another extremely well bred colt, and then won a Newmarket maiden next time out. Even Richard Hills can get this one home chaps!

BELOW ZERO looks a colt who has sneaked his way ahead of the handicapper, and although carries a 6lb penalty for a recent victory, looks well in. After finishing third in the second leg of the Betfair Summer Double, he was punted off the boards with Fran Berry on in the September Handicap at Leopardstown, winning very cosily. The big danger looks to be the Easterby gelding Grissom seeking the hatrick, but again we put our faithin King Kieren!

Final race of the card, tough classified stakes, a race where three year olds have an excellent record, Godolphin's Willing Foe building on the record last year. Two stand outs come in the Mashaaref for Richard Hills and Roger Varian, a son of Cape Cross who is fairly unexposed, and Beaten Up for William Haggas and Richard Hughes, an unbeaten gelding aiming to build upon a solid maiden win in April at Ripon. Hard to pick between the two but based on BEATEN UP's maiden form, we shall side with Yorkshireman William Haggas in the lucky last.

1.25 Kohala

1.55 Bourne

2.25 Opinion Poll (Nap)

3.00 Samitar

3.35 Ektihaam (Nb)

4.10 Below Zero

4.40 Beaten Up

St Leger Festival Doncaster - Wednesday and Thursday Selections

The St Leger is the oldest classic in British Horse Racing, and happens at Doncaster next Saturday, with Sir Michael Stoute having the hot favourite Sea Moon, aiming to give the trainer his second Leger win after Conduit breaking his duck in 2008. The festival kicks off on Wednesday with a seven race card, and the cards getting better with everyday leading up the big day on Saturday.

Wednesday starts off with an interesting card, focused on the older horses, including a listed race, conditions races and a group two race for older fillies and mares.

The Group Two race, the Park Hill Stakes, looks a strong renewal, with recent listed winner Motrice for Seb Sanders and Sir Mark Prescott making a quick turnaround, and the consistent mare of Clive Cox Polly’s Mark providing stiff competition. That being said the best horse on ratings, and the proven stayer is David Lanigan’s star filly MEEZNAH, who bounced back to form in a big way when winning the Lillie Langtry Stakes (Group 3) at the recent Goodwood Festival. Meeznah had the beating of both Motrice and Polly’s Mark that day, and looked an out and out stayer, grinding out a win under Frankie Dettori, who keeps the ride once more. Although she disappointed last time out when finishing seventh in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury, she was giving a stone away to the three year olds, and was never going well, and was very much eased by Frankie. This race looks far easier than the recent group three behind Leger fancies Brown Panther and Census and she can bounce back to form at Doncaster on Wednesday.

JET AWAY is a horse who seemed to have a very bright future when building on his

three year old career, and coming out on her first start as a four year old, beating decent yardstick Sri Putra, who has form in the book such as finishing second behind Twice Over in an Eclipse, and third behind multiple group one winners Rewilding and So You Think in the St James Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was unlucky to finish second behind Passion for Gold in a listed race at Goodwood, when finding little after coming up cruising. Dropped down to 10f from 12f should suit, and given the colt’s pedigree, there could be bags of improvement to come from this son of Cape Cross, and he looks to have some star quality in a fairly modest conditions race.

HAMISH MCGONAGALL is one of the most resilient sprinters in training, and goes for the ever popular Easterby yard when running in the Scarborough Stakes (Class 1) on Wednesday, and looks to have a very strong chance in a competitive listed race. He took a while to get into the swing of things this year, after a promising conditions stakes victory, finishing down the field in two group two races, although not beaten by any greater than 6 lengths. He then finished well in group races in Chantilly and at the Curragh, before a good second to Margot Did in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York just three weeks ago. That form has improved by Hoof It running an excellent race in the Haydock Sprint Cup, finishing a head behind group one sprinters Dream Ahead and Bated Breath. His form is rock solid, and streets ahead of his rivals. The only threats appear to be Dinkum Diamond and Medicean Man, who will need to improve further to get anywhere near the impressive six year old.

3.00 Doncaster (Thursday) – Meeznah (Nap)

3.10 Doncaster (Wednesday) – Hamish McGonagall

4.20 Doncaster (Wednesday) – Jet Away

The Yorkshireman – Jack Milner