Saturday 13th September 2025
ST LEGER FESTIVAL SELECTIONS (DAY 3)
1.15 Doncaster: GALERON – 9/1 (Each-Way) (4 places)
My first selection of the day on Saturday comes within the opener at Doncaster, and this is a Class 2 handicap that’s ridden over a mile. I’m taking a chance on Galeron here for the combination of Charlie Hills and Colin Keane. It’s been a very long time in between drinks for him, having not won since his two-year-old days; however, his runs this season haven’t been completley without promise. He was a staying on fifth of eleven at Southwell last time out, over seven furlongs, giving the impression that this step back up to a mile should suit. He was also only two lengths behind the winner when fifth in the Lincoln here in March, and that run came off an eight-pound higher mark. I was hoping for a slightly bigger price; however, I still think he could represent some value at his current price.
2.25 Doncaster (Betfred Portland): ROSARIO – 14/1 (Each-Way) (5 places)
Next up for me is the Betfred Portland, an extremely competitive Heritage Handicap that’s contested over five and a half furlongs. I’ve come down on the Roger Teal trained Rosario here, who’s the mount of Tom Marquand. He’s far from the most straightforward, and you’ll have to brace yourself for him to be slow away, which isn’t ideal over this trip. However, despite those negatives, he’s run well in competitive handicaps at Goodwood and Ascot in his last two outings, and remains on the same mark here, which is three pounds lower than his last success, which came at Goodwood in May. He’ll likely be picking up the pieces again here, and he’ll need some luck, but you’re getting a big price, and he’s worth chancing.
3.40 Doncaster (St Leger Stakes): FURTHUR – 12/1 (Each-Way) (3 places – bet365, Sky Bet)
The big one comes up at 3.40 and this is, of course, the final classic of the season in the Group 1 St Leger Stakes, over a mile and six and a half furlongs. Scandinavia will be very tough to beat here for Aidan O’Brien and Tom Marquand. He looks like the next big staying superstar on the back of his demolition job in the Bahrain Trophy before downing stablemate Illinois in the Goodwood Cup. He’s the obvious but correct favourite.
I’ve tried to take him on though with an each-way alternative, espiecally given that bet365 and Sky Bet are paying three places, should all seven take their place. I’m with Furthur here for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy. He won the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes last time out in impressive style by three lengths, going away in the closing stages. All of his best runs have come at conventional tracks, with two successes at Newbury, including a very solid second when three-quarters of a length behind Carmers at Royal Ascot. That suggests that Doncaster should be right up his street, and a further step up in distance could well bring out even more improvement.
4.50 Doncaster: REGALIAN – 13/2 (Each-Way)
My fourth and final selection of the day, comes in the finale, which is the 4.50, and a Class 2 handicap over a mile and two furlongs. I like Regalian here for William Haggas and Warren Fentiman, who takes off five pounds. He’s a novice winner who looked a progressive sort moving into handicap company, finishing three-quarters of a length second to Thunder Wonder in Class 2 company at Musselburgh on his penultimate start, with that rival being a previous course winner and more battle-hardened. He was poor at Newmarket following that; however, I’m happy to write that run off this early in his career, and he’s been given a couple of months off the track. He does look slightly quirky; however, his yard are in great form, and he’ll effectively contest this off three pounds lower than his Musselburgh run with Fentiman’s claim.
