Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece you can read my thoughts on day two of Doncaster's St Leger Festival.
Doncaster St Leger Festival – Day 2
Doncaster is a bit short of runners on Friday although the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes (2:25) field has held up well and looks an interesting race. On the other hand, the day’s feature race the Betfred Doncaster Cup Stakes (3:00) has attracted just five runners.
They do tend to struggle for runners in some handicaps at this meeting despite Doncaster having improved the prize money. Three of the four handicaps on Friday’s card have ten or less runners with the Class 2 fillies handicap (4:10) attracting just six. For those punters, like me, who like to get stuck into the handicaps its disappointing.
1:50 – Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes (Listed Race) – 7f
Just one of the ten runners is not a last time out winner so this could prove a decent renewal.
War Rooms looked a useful prospect when winning a soft ground novice over C&D in July. Proven with ease in the ground, if he takes another step forward, he won’t be far away.
Kingdom Of Riches built on the promise of his Ascot racecourse debut when making all to win Leicester novice (good to firm) last month. Another nice prospect if as good on softer ground.
Dancing Gemini has improved with each of his three starts. He still looked a bit green when winning a Newbury maiden 27 days ago and is capable of better. It was good to soft at Newbury and give he hails from a less fashionable yard looks overpriced to me.
Roger Varian saddled the 2019 winner of this corresponding race and has a live contender in Warm Spell. The son of Mehmas who cost 260,000 gns yearling improved on a promising Goodwood racecourse debut when landing Newbury novice 56 days ago. He stayed the 7f well at Newbury and is open further progression.
Verdict: The money has come in for Dancing Gemini and the double figure odds available when I started writing this article have gone. He was overpriced at 10/1 but he’s now at his true odds. Despite that he remains my race pick just ahead of War Rooms.
Dancing Gemini – 13/2 @ Coral.
Good luck with your Friday bets.
John