Saturday Racing Tips from Doncaster’s St Leger Day and Chester

1:50 Doncaster

The opener on St Leger Day is the Champagne Stakes. It is a Group 2 for the 2 year-old colts ran over 7f.

It is BAY CITY ROLLER (7/1) for me here at the prices. Unbeaten in two career starts, I’ve been impressed with his two victories at Sandown before he followed up stylishly at Chelmsford last time out. He looks a proper two year-old and this New Bay colt is capable of taking another step forward here. He’s trained by George Scott which is why he’s as big in the market as he is and as a result, I’m happy to chance him at this level.

 

2:05 Chester 

We have two races from the Roudee. The first is the 2:05 which is the Stand Cup Stakes, a listed race over the extended 1m4f trip.

It is AL QAREEM (5/2) I like in this. The winner of this contest last season where he managed to see off Bluestocking, this looks like a weaker renewal this time around. He’s shown enough this season to suggest he’s still more than capable and his second-placed effort behind Al Aasy last time out at Newbury reads well in this field. He will bounce out and attempt to make all and as we know, that is certainly no bad thing here at Chester. A worthy favourite.

 

2:25 Doncaster 

Next up from Doncaster is the competitive Portland Handicap over 5 and a half furlongs. 

It is ALBASHEER (10/1) EW for me here. This race looks sure to suit his running style well. He’s a fast finisher who will relish this stiff finish as he’s proven before when winning at Doncaster. 5 and a half furlongs looks ideal for him as he is always staying on strongly over 5f and can often just get going a tad too late. He was very unlucky when we last seen in the Beverley Bullet where he went down by a nose in the end. That was a sharp test over 5f and this looks bound to suit him more based on what we know. He’s won three times this season so he knows how to get his head in front and if he gets the gaps in this big handicap, he looks sure to be bang there come the line.

 

2:40 Chester

The 2:40 from Chester is the Watergate Cup, a trappy handicap for the stayers over 2 miles.

It is VERA VERTO (7/1) for me in this. Gavin Cromwell brings her over from Ireland for this and I think this step up to 2 miles could bring out further improvement. She ran a cracker when we last saw her finishing a good second at Killarney in a deep handicap. She’s won on these shores in the past as she won at Newmarket last season. That was off a higher mark than she is off today so she has to be well-handicapped here on the best of her form. She has a nice draw in stall 6 and I like her chances here. 

 

3:00 Doncaster

It’s back to Doncaster for the 3:00. The Group 2 Park Stakes over 7f.

The selection is SHOULDVEBEEENARING (16/1) EW here. He can be hot and cold but on a going day, he is a top sprinter that has run well at Group 1 level on multiple occasions. Often seen finishing strongly over 6f, I’d be hopeful this 7f will be fine for him. He stayed it well at York two starts back when finishing third in what was a messy race with no pace. He’ll get pace today which suits and if on a going day, he can make his price look silly. Worth a chance.

 

3:40 Doncaster  

The feature is the finale on ITV, the Group 1 St Leger Stakes for the 3 year-olds over the extended 1m6f.

It’s JAN BRUEGHEL (4/1) NB for me in the Leger. The son of Galileo has shown a typical professional and willing attitude in three starts this year. Unraced at 2, he’s been learning on the job this season in his 3 year-old campaign. He opened up with a maiden victory before going to the Curragh and landing a Group 3 there pretty easily despite showing signs of inexperience. That appeared to do him the world of good and he completed the hat-trick with victory in the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last time out. He showed that willing attitude on that occasion fending off the challengers late on and he’s definitely improving with each outing. This step up to 1m6f will bring out further improvement and I think he’s the one they all have to beat in this.

 

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