Thursday 11th September 2025
ST LEGER FESTIVAL SELECTIONS (DAY 1)
2.25 Doncaster (May Hill Stakes): AYLIN – 7/1 (Each-Way)
The first of my selections on the opening day of the St Leger Festival comes within the 2.25, and this is the Group 2 May Hill Stakes, that’s contested over the straight mile. I like the chances of Aylin here for the team of Karl Burke and David Egan. She looked useful when winning a maiden at Goodwood on heavy ground by two and three-quarters of a length on her penultimate start, and ran with credit when finishing third in the Group 3 Prestige Fillies’ Stakes last time out. That was over seven furlongs, and she was keeping on in the closing stages, giving the impression that this step up to a mile should suit. She was only a length behind Moon Target that day, who’s the 2/1 favourite here, and I think she’s got every chance of bridging that gap.
3.00 Doncaster (Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes): CONSENT – 9/2 (Each-Way)
My second selection of the afternoon comes in the 3.00, and this is the Group 2 Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes over a mile and six and a half furlongs. I’m with Consent here, who represents the team of Sir Mark Prescott and Luke Morris. She’s a two-time winner among novice company, and ran very well when stepped up to Group 3 company in France last time out, finishing second of ten over a mile and four and a half furlongs. That was a step up in distance for her; however, she was still keeping to her task in the closing stages that day, and there could be further improvement now that she’s upped even further here. I think that there could be a lot more to come from her.
4.10 Doncaster: WECHAAD – 15/2 (Each-Way)
Next up for me will be the 4.10, and this is a Class 3 nursery handicap that’s contested over seven furlongs. I’ve come down on the Roger Varian trained Wechaad here, who’s the mount of Silvestre De Sousa. He’s still a maiden after three starts; however, he’s been improving with each start and was most recently a length second of ten at Newbury in a Class 2 novice. He showed improvement that day once stepped up to seven furlongs, keeping on in the closing stages, and he’s clearly well thought of, given he’s got an entry in the Dewhurst Stakes. He could well have a big say here at a nice price.
