It’s the final classic of the year, the St Leger Festival at Doncaster. This Festival allows us to not only crown the winner of the oldest classic, but also to watch out for the future with plenty two-year-old action too. Today on day one, two-year-olds in the form of a £300,000 sales race and a Group Two. Plus the fillies’ St Leger, the Park Hill Stakes.
Looking Out Below
2:25 – Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes – Caburn @ 4/1 (General)
The form from this race always seems to come from York, whether it be a nursery, the sales race or any group race from the Ebor Festival. Caburn possesses, possibly, the best form in the race after racing in the Gimcrack. The third, Symbol Of Strength won on Saturday at Kempton when Caburn finished fifth. Caburn also won the Newbury Super Sprint, which is another tick in the formbook. He’s won two races on firm ground and won’t mind the good ground so long as there’s pace.
Another horse coming down from group company is Victory Sound. He was in the same race as Field Of Gold, who won in impressive style. Whilst the form is untested, Victory Sound should be suited by both ground and trip and level. He clearly wasn’t good enough for group level, and this should be a nice toe-in for handicap company in the future. 20/1 (William Hill, BetVictor).
Month Number One
3:00 – Betfred May Hill Stakes (Group Two) – January @ 8/1 (BetVictor)
For this race, form seems to come from various outlets, but all are usually either Listed or Group company. The favourite for me, is ruled out on that basis having only competed in two novice races.
Whilst Ryan Moore has elected to ride Ecstatic, I’m opting for January and Sean Levey. She won the Listed Churchill Stakes at Tipperary by four lengths, quite impressively. She’s also joint-top rated at 100, and has the breeding to match, being by Kingman. She also has ground form having broke her maiden on good ground back in June.
However, Ashnoda has plenty to go for at a bigger price. She won the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood on soft ground, and seems to be rather versatile after winning on firm ground on debut. The form is untested and is steadily, yet impressively. Also joint-top rated she has much more of a say than her 8/1 (William Hill, BetVictor) price suggests.
Midnight Glitter
3:35 – Betfred Park Hill Stakes (Group Two) – Night Sparkle @ 7/2 (General)
It’s a tricky race the Park Hill, but one horse looks to win her first race of the season. Night Sparkle has been extremely unlucky twice this season over 14 furlongs. Her defeats in the Lillie Langtry and Bronte Cup spells out that she loves the trip and looks like opposition that shouldn’t threaten her too much. Good ground won’t bother her either, having finished second in those narrow defeats on good-to-firm and good-to-soft.
One horse who can say she has won over the distance is the rather looked over Grateful for Aidan O’Brien. The wrong race tactics were applied last time in the Lillie Langtry, as she languished towards the rear. Her win at Fairyhouse showed her up with the pace and holding on strong towards the finish. With the three-year-old weight allowance, she should be shorter than 13/2 (William Hill, BetVictor).
Rock The Boat
4:10 – Pertemps Network Handicap – Harper’s Ferry @ 4/1 (General)
Harper’s Ferry comes into handicap company from a Royal Ascot Group Two. The form from the King Edward VII isn’t great, however Calandagan did finish second behind the best horse in the world, City Of Troy, in the International Stakes. He hasn’t been given top weight, which should play into his advantage. Plus the step down in trip back to 10 furlongs will suit once again.
The very best of luck!
