The Doncaster St Leger Meeting heads into day three on Saturday and Andy Newton continues with his free Doncaster horse racing tips for all the day’s main race – including the St Leger, which is the final English Classic race of the flat season.
Doncaster Horse Racing Tips: Aidan O’Brien Eyes Ninth St Leger Win
Over the eight-race Doncaster card on Saturday there are five more contests on the ITV Racing schedule to put in your diaries.
With the feature being the St Leger at 3:40pm – a race trainer Aidan O’Brien has won eight times and has a big hand again with the first two in the betting – Scandinavia and Epsom Derby winner Lambourn.
On the day, we’ve also got the Group Two Champagne Stakes (1:50pm) – where we get to see Acomb Stakes winner Gewan back in action.
We also have horse racing tips daily that give FOUR best bets in a Lucky 15, plus we highlight any horses that are running that won the same races last year.
1:15 – Doncaster – PJ Towey Construction Handicap Cl2 (3yo+) 1m ITV
Three of the last 10 winners came from stall 7, so Supido will be trying to add this this record.
While four of the last five winners were aged 3 years-old and so Treble Tee, Hawksbill, Point Of Contact, Supido, Principality and Wild Nature tick this stat too.
Of that bunch, the Andrew Balding runner POINT OF CONTACT is interesting – having run fifth the last day at York but was only beaten 1 1/4 lengths.
Yes, is up a pound for that but this Blue Point colt has only had six career runs and should have more to come. Plus, the Balding team have a decent 21% SR with their 3 year-olds at the course.
Of the rest, the David Simcock also do well here at the track (20%) and also took this race in 2016 – they try again with Cash, who is still lightly-raced for a 6 year-old (12 runs) and is starting to look well-handicapped off 101, having run well in many Listed and Group races in the past.
He’ll be hoping to land the ‘money’ for jockey Jamie Spencer.
🥇POINT OF CONTACT (e/w)
🥈CASH
🥉TREBLE TEE
1:50 – Doncaster – Betfred Champagne Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings) Cl1 (2yo) 7f ITV
The horse racing betting sites are saying that this could be a two-horse battle – between GEWAN and Oxagon.
Oxagon was a nice winner at Sandown last time and the second Look To The Stars has won again since to frank the form. Gosden also won this in 2018 with Too Darn Hot and Oxagon has some fancy entries later in the season.
But Gewan has been the slightly more impressive for me – winning on debut at Newbury and then taking the G2 Acomb at York (watch below).
This Night Of Thunder colt showed a great attitude that day – sticking his neck out and saw off a fair sort in Italy. The time (1m 25.57secs) was also okay – and a fair bit better than Oxagon’s 7f win last time (1m 29.87 secs) – albeit at different tracks.
Gewan is 8/1 for the Dewhurst and 14/1 for the Futurity Stakes – prices that will obviously vanish if taking this.
Cape Orator has done little wrong in winning his two races at Kempton and Deauville and can take the bronze.
🥇GEWAN
🥈OXAGON
🥉CAPE ORATOR
2:25 – Doncaster – Betfred Portland (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 (3yo+) 5½f ITV
The consistent Trefor looks sure to be involved for the Hills team that have won this race in 2013 and 2018 – but with 18 of the last 23 winners coming from a double-figure stall, then gate 3 has to be a small worry.
Apollo One was runner-up in the race last year and has to be respected off a pound lower too.
While Air Force One is sure to be popular at the head of the market – but it’s worth noting 21 of the last 23 winners carried 8-12 or more and he’s got 8-9.
The two I like though are JORDAN ELECTRICS and ROSARIO.
The former comes from the Jim Goldie yard that have won two of the last three runnings and looks to be running back into form after a fine 5th last time out at York (watch below).
Is down a pound for that run and now only 3lbs higher than his last win and is 2lbs lower than his excellent Ayr Gold Cup 5th from last season. Draw 20 looks ideal.
Rosario is another to note from the Roger Teal yard after a nice third at Goodwood last time out.
The second All Ways Glamorous has franked the form since (running 2nd) and in this better grade has a much lower racing weight (8-13) considering he carried 9-10 the last day.
The final plus is the booking of Tom Marquard, who was jocked-up to ride back on Tuesday, and draw 16 is perfect too.
🥇JORDAN ELECTRICS
🥈ROSARIO
🥉APOLLO ONE
3:00 – Doncaster – Betfred Park Stakes (Group 2) Cl1 (3yo+) 7f ITV
The 119-rated Shadow Of Light should be winning this really – especially getting weight off the older horses and down to a Group Two.
But I’m just not sure he’s great value for a horse that has disappointed several times this term – albeit in better races.
So, there could be some better value lurking down the market.
ROOM SERVICE is a horse that ticks that ‘value’ box as he’s 2-2 here at Doncaster and heads here having run okay in the G2 Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh in July.
That was also only his third run this season so should have more to come and also won’t mind if Donny gets any rain, having won his last three on soft.
While before that was a decent 4th in the John Of Gaunt Stakes behind Ten Bob Tony back in May (watch below) – running on well after meeting a bit of trouble.
The first-time cheekpieces are also an interesting addition.
Marvelman is 0-7 on the turf, so that’s a worry – but ran third to the classy More Thunder last time (beaten 2 1/2 lengths) and a repeat of that would surely see this Balding horse in the mix. Oisin Murphy riding is the icing on the cake.
🥇ROOM SERVICE
🥈MARVELMAN
🥉SHADOW OF LIGHT
3:40 – Doncaster – Betfred St Leger Stakes (Group 1) (No Geldings) Cl1 (3yo) 1m6½f ITV
Aidan O’Brien is hunting his ninth St Leger winner and really with the main two in the market – Scandinavia and Lambourn – it will be long odds-on that he’s adding another.
Scandinavia could be the next big O’Brien staying cup horse in the making after winning the Goodwood Cup well (watch below), but was getting 14lbs off stablemate Illinois.
But I’m not sure a Goodwood Cup winner has ever won the St Leger. That said, I’m not sure many have tried. I believe the last was Stradivarius in 2017, who came third.
Lambourn needs little introduction too – having won both the Irish and English Derby this season. But heads here on a recovery mission after running only fifth in the Great Voltigeur at York last time.
He’s trying this longer trip for the first time too and his running style suggests it will suit – however, my niggle is that he’s had a busy season with some tough races. Plus were the two Derby races he’s contested really great renewals?
Carmers was second in the Voltigeur and looks sure to improve over this longer trip – having stayed on well that day. While Stay True was fourth, but his lack of experience is the worry for me (only 3 runs).
So FURTHUR could be the value call to give both Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy their first wins in the St Leger.
He was a nice winner of the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury last time over 1m 5 1/2f so we know the trip will suit and has form linked into Carmers when only 1/2 second to him at Royal Ascot in the Queen’s Vase in June.
🥇FURTHUR (e/w)
🥈SCANDINAVIA
🥉CARMERS
