The horse racing broadcaster provides his five selections for Day 2 of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse.
The full range of distances are explored during the five races from the second day of the St. Leger meeting at Doncaster, with the two Group 2’s being the 5f Flying Childers for two-year-olds and the 2m 2f Doncaster Cup for the older horses.
The day starts with the Listed Flying Scotsman, another race for juveniles, run over 7f. Whilst there are potential improvers in the field it is hard to knock NABATI 2/1 (13:15 Doncaster) who has already made the frame at this level when runner up to Arapaho Gold in the Rose Bowl at Newbury. Arapaho Gold went on to win the Gimcrack next time, so the form has a solid look to it and Nabati clearly sets the standard on what has been achieved to date.
The Leger Legends race has been moved to the Friday and being a 0-70 Classified Stakes ridden by those who are no longer regulars in the saddle it is never the easiest to predict. The eye gets drawn to Adam Kirby riding the horse he trains in CARAGIO 7/1 (13:50 Doncaster) with whom he clearly would have a closer association than many other combinations in the field. He has also been conveniently dropped three from his last run to a mark of 70 to make him eligible for the race. The mile may be as far as he wants but these races do not often follow the traditional pattern in terms of pace, and so as he is a double figure price it is worth the risk.
The first of the Group 2’s is the Flying Childers where FLANN SANNA 5/1 (14:25 Doncaster) can get his career back on track dropped to 5f. He made a very taking impression on his first two starts, including when displaying a smart turn of foot to win at Ascot before a slightly underwhelming effort at Goodwood in the Richmond, when sent off a short priced favourite. Chief opponents are also likely to come from Goodwood via the Molecomb where the filly Pershaada maintained her progression with a comfortable victory. She has however subsequently had quite a tough race when taking on older horses in the Nunthorpe and given how short a price Flann Sanna was in the Richmond, current odds of as big as 6-1 look an overreaction. The yard are 16/44 A/E 1.38 with their juveniles this season.
Next up in what is a weak looking Doncaster Cup, where I am happy to take on the front of the market with BEYLERBEYI 12/1 (15:00 Doncaster). Now the Cesarewitch weights are out he cannot compromise his chance of a repeat Newmarket victory by running well here. For a horse that has proved so tough throughout his career it has been alarming how quickly Caballo De Mar has finished and the application of blinkers and a tongue tie suggest connections think the same. Queenstown returned with a win at the Curragh last time but had been well exposed last season and as both he and Caballo De Mar can race prominently, which should give Beylerbeyi the sort of pace set up that suits. He got no run two starts ago at Newmarket before a solid fifth in the Ebor. Whilst Beylerbeyi has so far proved no more than a handicapper, his only foray into Group company was in very deep against the likes of Jan Breughel at Chester and it would be wrong to dismiss his chances on that alone in a sub-standard Group 2.
The last of the five ITV races can see SILVER LAKE 15/8 (15:35 Doncaster) continue her winning run. Unbeaten since moving into handicaps she overcome trouble to win at Goodwood and still looks ahead of her mark. Whilst she is up another 6lb, she looks destined for Pattern company and if so a mark of 93 won’t stop her. Weight for age favours the three-year-olds over staying trips and the way she stayed on at Goodwood suggest the 1m 4f will hold no fears. She is not the only three-year-old who comes into the race in good form but she seems to be the fastest improver and the yard are 9/36 in September (A/E 1.37).
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