Thursday 10th September 2026
Welcome aboard to the first of my blogs at Doncaster this week, where the St Leger Festival takes centre stage. I’m kicking the opening day off on Thursday with four bets, and the first of these comes in the opener at 1.15, which is a Class 2 nursery handicap over six and a half furlongs. This is highly competitive, so I’ve taken a chance on one at a massive price: LEUCOTHEA for Richard Hannon and Laura Person. She’s still a maiden after six outings; however, she’s been placed in four of those, and the form of her most recent place at Nottingham in her penultimate race is strong. She was a neck second to Mobadir on that occasion, and that rival has come out and won again since, and is now rated 79. If she runs to that level of form here, I think she’s got every chance of outrunning a big price.
Speed Of Sound is an obvious big player at the top of the betting for Richard Spencer and Saffie Osbourne, and is likely to be bang there at the business end of things. Clive Cox’s Art Of Life will be another warm order on handicap debut, and is another live player at the top of the market following a couple of second-placed efforts in novice company at Newbury.
Selection: Leucothea – (25/1) (Each-Way) (4 places)
Shortlist: Speed Of Sound (9/4), Art Of Life (7/2)
1.15 Doncaster
Next up is the 1.50, and this is the valuable Wetherbys two-year-old contest over six and a half furlongs. We have seventeen runners going to post here at the time of writing, so I’ve tried to find some each-way value, and I believe that I may have found that with GOD GIVEN TALENT for William Haggas, who’s the mount of Tom Marquand. He’s a No Nay Never colt who won on his racecourse debut at Newbury in the Spring when trained by James Ferguson, and also ran with credit in Listed company at the same track on his final start for that yard. He posted a highly encouraing effort on his debut for this yard at York last month, finishing fourth of eighteen in a competitive Class 2 handicap, only a length behind the winner on that occasion, despite being denied a clear run on several occasions. I think he could take a big step forward here, and if he gets more luck, he could get closer.
Night In Vegas is an obvious huge player at the top of the betting for Eve Johnson Houghton and Charlie Bishop; he’s having a fine campaign, running well in Group 2 company at Ascot and Goodwood, before winning a valuable contest at Newmarket last time out. Joseph O’Brien’s Seven Nation Army will also be popular here, given the trainer’s fine record in Britain this term, and this two-year-old has already shown a decent level of form.
Selection: God Given Talent – (11/1) (Each-Way) (4 places)
Shortlist: Night In Vegas (11/8), Seven Nation Army (7/1)
1.50 Doncaster
I turn my attention to the 2.25 now, and this is another Class 2 handicap, this time over a distance of a mile and two furlongs. I like the chances of BESIEGED here for Harry Charlton, who’s the mount of Lewis Edmunds. He was the runner-up in his first two outings in a couple of hot contests at Kempton and Newbury in maiden & novice events, before bolting up by fourteen lengths in a Class 3 contest at Salisbury last time out. That effort also came on soft ground, so any cut in the going on this occasion should hold no issue for him, and there is likely a lot of improvement to come from him within handicap company. A bold showing would be no surprise.
Knights Charge returns to action following back-to-back victories in the Spring, and is another who’s open to significant progress within handicaps for Roger Varian. King Of Earth faces calmer waters here for William Haggas following a run in the Strensall Stakes at York; he’d won a competitive Curragh handicap on his penultimate start.
Selection: Besieged – (5/1) (Each-Way) (NB)
Shortlist: Knights Charge (9/2), King Of Earth (5/1)
2.25 Doncaster
My fourth and final bet of the afternoon comes up at 3.00, and we’re up in grade here with the Group 2 Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes over a mile and six and a half furlongs. I’m strong on the chances of WAARDAH here for Owen Burrows and Callum Rodriguez. She was a rapid improver last summer, when beating the re-opposing Danielle in the Lillie Langtry at Goodwood, and finished ahead of that rival once more in this year’s renewal. She looked the winner of that race again this time around and was only narrowly denied, finishing a quarter of a length behind winner Goodie Two Shoes. I think that she’s rock solid at the top of the market here, and she could yet have more to offer; for me, she’s the one to beat.
Fairy Glen could prove a big player at a bigger price for Simon & Ed Crisford; she was only half of a length behind Caballo De Mar in Group 1 company in France when last seen back in May. Consent ran very well in this race last year when a neck second to Santorini Star, before reversing the form by over four lengths with that rival in Group 1 company next time out; a return to that level of form would make her a significant player for Sir Mark Prescott.
Selection: Waardah – (11/4) (Win) (NAP)
Shortlist: Fairy Glen (11/2), Consent (11/2)
3.00 Doncaster
