Friday 11th September 2026
We kick off the second day of the St Leger Meeting at Doncaster on Friday at 1.15 with the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes over seven furlongs. There are likely some smart types in here, and I’ve come down on ROCK MONTREAL for Roger Varian and Ray Dawson. He cost 1,000,000gns as a yearling, and made an impressive start to his racing career when winning by two and three-quarters of a length at Yarmouth last month, going away under a hands-and-heels ride. That run suggested that he had a fair bit of ability in his locker, and there are highly likely bundles of improvement to come. He’ll have to handle a softer surface here; however, his sire Blue Point did win on good-to-soft, despite preferring a faster surface.
Charlie Appleby’s Nabati sets the standard at the top of the betting on William Buick; he was half a length behind the smart Arapaho Gold in a Listed race at Newbury on his penultimate run, and has two victories to his name either side of that run. Engraved is also open to improvement; following a second-placed effort on debut for James Fanshawe, he could go well at a price.
Selection: Rock Montreal – (11/4) (Win)
Shortlist: Nabati (6/4), Engraved (20/1)
1.15 Doncaster
My second bet of the afternoon comes in the 2.25, the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes over a distance of five furlongs. I’ve taken a chance on FLANN SUNNA here for the team of Simon & Ed Crisford, who’s the mount of William Buick. He looked a highly exciting prospect when winning his first two starts at Windsor and Ffos Las, before being sent off the even-money favourite in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood. He could only manage fifth on that occasion, but I’m willing to forgive him for that run, even though it was still a respectable effort, up in grade for the first time. He’s clearly held in high regard, and a drop down to five furlongs could unlock further improvement.
Aidan O’Brien’s Carry The Flag is more exposed than some here; however, he was second in Group 1 company in France last time out, and was a Listed winner over five furlongs. Final Objective was only three-quarters of a length behind Arapaho Gold in the Gimcrack Stakes, and is likely to continue to improve here for Hamad Al Jehani; he’s a big player under James Doyle.
Selection: Flann Sunna – (13/2) (Each-Way)
Shortlist: Carry The Flag (7/1), Final Objective (13/2)
2.25 Doncaster
The feature race on Friday is the Group 2 Doncaster Cup Stakes, which takes centre stage at 3.00 on Town Moor. I’m strong on one here, and that’s QUEENSTOWN for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore. He had some strong form in highly competitive handicaps last term, before taking his form to the next level when placing in back-to-back Group 1s in France. He made his belated return to the track at the Curragh last month, where he posted a dominant display in the Group 3 St Leger Trial, winning by four and a half lengths. He appears to still be unexposed over these distances, and I think that he could develop into a very solid Cup horse for his powerhouse connections. I expect him to go very close here.
Caballo De Mar is still a big player on his best form for George Scott and Oisin Murphy; he’s finished his last two races tamely, which is a concern, and will need to bounce back, but he still has to enter calculations on official ratings. The completely unexposed Winday is the interesting one in the race for Emmet Mullins; he’s a shrewd operator, and this three-year-old is open to significant improvement under William Buick.
Selection: Queenstown – (7/4) (Win) (NAP)
Shortlist: Caballo De Mar (9/4), Winday (7/1)
3.00 Doncaster
I’ve got one more bet on Friday, which takes place at 3.35 and in a Class 2 Premier Fillies’ Handicap over a mile and four furlongs. I think that there could still be more to come from the highly progressive SILVER LAKE for William Haggas, who sports the Wathnan silks, under James Doyle. She comes into the race having won her last three starts within handicap company, with her last two victories coming in competitive Class 2 affairs at Goodwood and York respectively, the latter also coming on good to soft. She’s been raised a further six pounds for her latest success; however, it remains to be seen where her ceiling may be, and I’m not convinced that her latest rise will be enough to halt her progression.
Ralph Beckett’s Nochebuena should prove a big player under Jason Hart; she won a novice over course and distance on her penultimate start before going close on handicap debut at Ascot last time out, and a mention can go to Room Fourteen for James Fanshawe, who won well at this track over ten furlongs on his penultimate start; she has five lengths to find on the selection from York, but this trip could unlock further improvement.
Selection: Silver Lake – (2/1) (Win) (NB)
Shortlist: Nochebuena (11/2), Room Fourteen (11/1)
3.35 Doncaster
