Thursday 12th September 2024
Author: Jordan Yates (@jordan_yates_)
St Leger Festival
1.50: British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Nursery Handicap: We kick things off at the St Leger Festival at Doncaster with the 1.50 on Thursday, a fillies’ nursery handicap over six and a half furlongs. I’m taking a chance on one at a decent price here in Silver Ghost for Emma Lavelle and Charlie Bishop. She’s still a maiden but has gone close on her last two outings, finishing second in both, and was behind a potentially smart typ at Newmarket last time out. This intermediate trip could well be up her street and I think she represents some each-way value here. Silver Ghost – 9/1 (Each-Way) (Sky Bet – 6 places)
2.25: Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes: Next up it’s the two-year-old affair which is worth £300,000 and is also ridden over six and a half furlongs. This is extremely competitive, of which a case can be made for most of them, however, I’ve come down on the Godolphin runner Hallasan for Charlie Appleby and William Buick. He’s not been seen since winning a maiden at Nottingham by over three lengths back in July. The horse he beat that day has since come out and won and the horse he was second behind previously, Mr Lightside, is now rated 103. I think he could be considerably better than his current mark of 85 and I’ll chance him to go well here. Hallasan – 7/1 (Each-Way) (Several Firms – 4 places)
3.00: Betfred May Hill Stakes: It’s Group 2 action at 3.00 with the May Hill Stakes over the straight mile. It’s another Godolphin contender I like here in the form of Desert Flower for the team of Charlie Appleby and William Buick. She looks a fascinating prospect for her powerhouse connections and she comes into the race with a perfect record of two victories from two starts. Her most recent success came last month at Newmarket where she bolted up by six and a half lengths, and whilst this requires further progression, she looks like she could be out of the top drawer. She’s the one they all have to beat. Desert Flower – 11/8 (Win) (NAP)
3.35: Betfred Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes: The fourth race of the afternoon is more Group 2 action and comes in the form of the Park Hill Stakes over a mile and six and a half furlongs. I’m with the Hughie Morrison runner here Mistral Star who’s the mount of William Buick. She was placed in Group 3 company at Haydock back in June before winning the Listed Aphrodite Stakes at Newmarket back in July. On her most recent start, she was fourth in the Yorkshire Oaks at the Ebor Festival when behind the likes of Content, You Got Me, and Emily Upjohn. That’s some of the best form on offer here and she could still have further progression to come. Mistral Star – 5/1 (Each-Way) (Sky Bet – 4 places)
4.10: Pertemps Network Handicap: My fifth and final selection of the afternoon comes in handicap company at 4.10 over a mile and two furlongs. I’m strong on the chances of Promethean here for David Menuisier and Sean Levey. He’s still a maiden after five starts, however, posted a very encouraging effort on his handicap debut at Newmarket last month when finishing an extremely narrow second. He’ll contest this off just a couple of pounds higher and if he comes on again for that outing he can have a serious say. Promethean – 5/1 (Each-Way) (NB)
