Today’s best bets for the second day of Doncaster’s St Leger meeting can be seen below. Race Sharp offers free racing tips for all meetings at Doncaster throughout the season.
DONCASTER – St Leger Festival
3:10pm – Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes (Group 2)
Eshaada heads the market for in-form trainer Roger Varian, making her first attempt at a trip further than 1m4f. A Group One winner over a mile-and-a-half, she finished third in a Group Two when last seen and has plenty of potential over the further distances. However, she could be worth opposing as she has stamina to prove and, with rain forecast at Doncaster, the ground could be significantly softer than ideal.
Urban Artist put in a brave front-running effort in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood but will need to reverse form with Believe In Love following a length-and-a-quarter defeat to the younger mare in the Brontë Cup at York in May.
The latter, another representative for the Varian yard, has plenty of experience over this trip and will be able to handle conditions if the ground is softer than expected at the track. She is versatile, with plenty of stamina in her pedigree, and is capable of posing a threat to her stablemate. The yard is currently performing at a 31% strike rate and they hold a strong hand in this contest with two lively chances.
Glenartney finished third in the aforementioned Group Three at York and recently finished three-quarters-of-a-length behind Sea La Rosa in the Group Two Prix de Pomone over an extended mile-and-a-half at Deauville. She stays further and will be suited to an ease in the ground, so could enter calculations if at her best.
Mimikyu wears a first-time hood for the connections of Free Wind and is another who is unexposed over the trip whilst three-year-old filly River Of Stars, bidding for a hat-trick of wins, is an interesting contender for Ralph Beckett, following a Listed win over an extended 1m6f at Chester last month.
3:10pm Doncaster – Believe In Love 1pt win @ 8/1 (most firms)
3:45pm – Class 2 Handicap
A quick-fire double could be on the cards for Roger Varian as he saddles warm favourite Zainalarab in the 3:45pm handicap over 7f. Following a sixth-place finish on debut, in which the three-year-old showed plenty of greenness, the Wootton Bassett colt is unbeaten since, recording three wins on the bounce. He made his handicap debut at Sandown recently, impressing to win well and has subsequently been given a 5lbs rise. Running off a mark of 88 here, he could still be well-treated at the weights and certainly appears the one to beat.
Admiral D appears slightly exposed and, whilst capable of finishing in the places, he may struggle to reverse form with a couple of his rivals who have finished ahead of him this season. One of those is Billyb, for in-form Ann Duffield, who found only one better than him at Thirsk last month. He ran on strongly and was nearest at the finish, two-and-a-quarter-lengths ahead of seventh-placed Admiral D. The gelding’s pedigree suggests this trip is well-suited and he has been performing consistently over 7f in recent runs. He is 4lbs higher for his placed finish when last seen, but remains off a workable mark of 87 and is capable of showing further improvement.
New Kingdom sports first-time cheekpieces for Charlie Appleby, another in-form trainer, currently performing at a 38% win rate. The gelded son of Dubawi is well-bred and perhaps had excuses when eleventh of fourteen at York recently. He is an intriguing contender who could show improvement with the addition of headgear, allowing him to focus and rediscover form shown as a juvenile when beating Group Two winner Deauville Legend.
Harrow drops back in trip for Andrew Balding following a number of disappointing runs over a mile. He has previously won competitive handicaps over shorter distances as a juvenile and could rediscover some form back over 7f.
George Boughey’s Spangled Mac recorded a four-timer earlier this season before being beaten in the Shergar Cup Sprint at Ascot. He was disappointing at York when last seen but remains dangerous off a mark of 97.
3:45pm Doncaster – Billyb 1pt E/W @ 13/2 (most firms, 7-1 in places)
4:20pm – Conditions Stakes (Class 2)
Last year’s Derby and King George winner, Adayar, makes his long-anticipated return in a three-runner affair on the second day of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster. He hasn’t been seen since finishing fifth in the Champion Stakes at Ascot last October following a respectable fourth-place finish in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in heavy ground. He is expected to return to winning ways in this lesser contest, with only two rivals to beat, including stablemate Dhahabi.
This year’s Epsom Derby fourth, Masekela, also lines up but has 23lbs to find with the favourite, receiving 6lbs, and will need a career-best to trouble the Frankel colt if he is on song on his first outing of the season.
4:20pm Doncaster – No bet
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