Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece I’m concluding my look back at Doncaster’s St Leger Festival with some horses from the meeting for the tracker. Plus, I have had a look at a couple races at Listowel.
Doncaster St Leger Festival Review – Part 2
In my concluding look back at Doncaster's St Leger Festival I have focused on the highlights from the first two days.
Thursday
Darnation likely needs soft ground to be at her best and she got her ground in Thursday’s May Hill Stakes. There was plenty to like her attitude at the business end of Thursday’s race. As expected, the step up to a mile suited the daughter of Too Darn Hot who proved to good for the less experienced See The Fire. Darnation isn’t the biggest so she might not improve much between two and three but she’s a smart juvenile filly. The Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day at Longchamp seems a good end of season target for her given she’s likely to her favoured underfoot conditions.
See The Fire just lacked the experience of the winner, but she’s got the physical scope to improve next season. She will be suited by 1m 2f+ as a 3-year-old and could be an Oaks filly.
Sumo Sam who had benefited from a good front running ride when winning the Lilly Langtry Stakes at Goodwood. She did something similar in landing the Group 2 Park Hill Fillies' Stakes. It wasn’t the strong renewal of the race, but the winner is a tough 3-year-old filly who stays 1m 6f strongly and relishes soft ground. Provided she’s over exertions. The Group 1 Prix Royallieu over this trip on Arc weekend would be a good race for her as she will get her ground.
Friday
Big Evs bounced back from a poor run in the Nunthorpe Stakes to win Friday’s Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes. Racing back against his age group suited. However, he also broke very quickly and took a couple of lengths out of his field at the start.
The winner is all speed. And you can see why connections are going for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita. Provided the colt gets a decent draw. He would be tough to peg back even though he’s yet to race around a bend.
Trueshan bounced back to form to win the Group 2 Doncaster Cup. He had looked shadow of his old self in the spring. However, a four month break and wind surgery seem to have done the trick. He was far to keen in the early stages and Hollie Doyle wisely decided not to fight her mount and let him stride to the front four furlongs out. He was briefly headed 1f out by runner-up Sweet William . But I think he just wanted to win a bit more than the second.
Doncaster: Future Winners
I was expecting to find more for the tracker from the meeting than I did. Today’s two tracker horses ran at Doncaster on Saturday.
Liberty Lane
The return to easy ground had seen Liberty Lane bounce back to form when a 2 lengths 4th of 12 in handicap at Newmarket on his previous start. The 3-year-old settled much better than he had on his previous starts this season and that and a return to soft ground made all the difference as he beat 14 rivals in the mile handicap that concluded Saturday’s card.
He’s only had six career starts and there could be more to come from the colt. He’s got an entry in the Cambridgeshire and the extra furlong at Newmarket could prove ideal. He might need some ease in the ground which he isn’t certain to get in the Cambridgeshire. The Balmoral Handicap (1m) at Ascot on Champions Day would be a good alternative. He would likely face runner-up Sonny Liston there. The latter travelled through the race like he remains on a good mark. However, he may have hot the front to soon here. If he’s held up a bit longer at Ascot the Balmoral I can see him a gaining a well deserved big handicap success.
At Vimeiro
At Vimeiro cost 650,000 gns yearling and I put him up as Saturday’s selection in the column. He might not have won but he certainly caught the eye on his racecourse debut. He wasn’t the quickest away and found himself at the back of the field of this 1m maiden. The son of Sea The Stars was doing his best work at the finish and is bred to be suited by 1m 2f+ as a 3-year-old. He could well land a maiden this season but he we should see the best of him next season.
Tuesday Preview
There’s Listed action at Listowel with the Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes (3.50) the feature race of a seven race card at Listowel’s ‘Harvest’ Festival.
Listowel
3:50 – Kingswood was quickly back to form when a good 1 ¾ length 2nd of 22 in a valuable handicap at the Curragh 9 days ago. That was close to career best from the 3-year-old and reproduction of that run might be good enough here.
Jospeh O’Brien has won the last two renewals of the Listed contest and the best of his three runners could be Miramis. The mare has a 3lb penalty to carry for her Galway Listed win two starts back. But she showed she remains in form when a length 3rd of 10 in a Group 3 at Tipperaty 16 days ago.
Snowcapped returned to action with two wins this season. And the 3-year-old has continued her progressive form on three subsequent starts. She posted a career best when a 1 ¼ length 4th of 8 in a Group 3 at the Curragh 24 days ago. Any further easing of the ground won’t inconvenience her and she should go well.
5:00 – Earls won this 1m handicap 12 months ago and is just 1lb higher than when winning at Cork in May. He was doing his best work at the finish when 4th of 16 at Galway (7f) last month and provided he gets some ease in the ground looks set for a big run. Trainer had a cross the card treble on Monday which is another plus.
Cristal Clere completed a hat trick at Roscommon 15 days ago. He might need softer ground to complete the four timer dropped back to a mile. However, given his present vein of form another win seems on the cards.
Cristal Clere must be respected but I’m going with last year’s winner Earls.
Tuesday Selection:
Listowel
5:00 – Earls – 7/1 @ Coral.
Good look with your Tuesday bets.
John