Good morning all,

Had a very enjoyable day at Sandown yesterday, I'm all ready for Lingfield (and Craig David) today, it's going to be massively busy and the day should fly by.

Today's selections are on the main piece, and I'll leave you with this exchange from Sandown yesterday (the names have been removed to protect the innocent!)

“You staying at Redhill tonight ****** for Lingfield tomorrow? I know you stayed there last year.”

“No,no, no, too noisy for my missus. All those trains going by the back of the digs all night, kept her awake it did.”

“Ah, okay. Where are you staying this year then?”

“Heathrow…..”

1.50 Doncaster – Portland Handicap 5½f

The blast-off merchant looks to be Merlin from stall 1, who has bags of early speed and given he’s a winner over both 6f (and 7f) this intermediate trip ought not to be an issue. But stall 1 could be, it’s got a poor record and he’ll need to be good to cheat it. Not hard to see him and Lancelot Du Lac leading the low numbers, but all they may do it set it up for something to pick ‘em off.

Vibrant Chords from stall 8 is hard to knock. He ran well under top weight when second to Desert Law over 5f here last time out and despite another 2lb rise for that, still looks on the upgrade and may well be capable of more. This trip should be fine and it’s very hard to see him out of the frame.

If high numbers come into this, then Justanotherbottle makes a bit of appeal form stall 18. Already a C&D winner, big field handicaps are not a problem to him and he’s another improving 3-y-o that might be capable of squeezing a bit more out.

Last year’s winner Captain Colby comes with all sorts of risks now after some moderate efforts but he’s some 8lb lower than when second in a Listed event here in April. Very well handicapped and the hood, which did nothing at all last time out, is removed in favour of blinkers, which ought to help.

2.25 Doncaster – Park Stakes (Group 2, 7f)

This drying ground is playing right into the hands of Home Of The Brave, who looked an improving horse when winning at Leicester (when beating Tasleet, form that looks pretty good now) and Newmarket and despite pulling too hard at Goodwood on soft ground last time, battled on well to only be beaten a length by Breton Rock. On this ground I’d expect the form to be reversed and he looks the one to beat, especially as he might get a soft lead.

In truth it’s either him or nothing for me, and not much else makes a lot of appeal.

3.35 Doncaster – St Leger 1m6f

At the risk of putting a load of favourites up today, I do like the chances of Capri here, who is the best horse in the race on the figures, looked impressive when winning the Irish Derby and promises to be even better at this trip. He had to miss York after a small setback but is reported to be once again going very well, and if that’s the case, I’d take him to win here.

It looks pretty open if he fails to fire. Stradivarius’s form was given another boost when Desert Skyline won the feature at Doncaster today and his mark of 116, which I was initially a bit sniffy about, looks perfectly fair now. With Frankie ignoring him, he now probably represents a bit of value. Defoe is a grand galloping sort that might want slightly slower ground but he can’t be ignored, whilst the best of the double-figure horses looks to be Venice Beach, who has always looked a Leger type to me and really isn’t so far behind on the figures.

2.05 Chester – 5f Handicap

Viscount Loftus would look the obvious one, but Chester isn’t Pontefract and he might just find one or two of these a little bit look quick for him at this stage. I’m happy to look elsewhere for the winner at the price he is, and it’s worth remembering that he was a NR on account of soft ground at Ripon in June.

Porchy Party is stall 1 has the draw and speed to utilise it. He weakened out of it late at Ripon last time but had previously been a good winner at Carlisle and this slower ground might help his cause (was g/f at Ripon).

Today's selection -Capri 3.35 Doncaster

Good luck with all your bets today.

David.