Dave Massey is back for Day of The St Leger Festival at Doncaster, and has picked out his best bets ahead of Friday’s card. Read on for his exclusive thoughts!
St Leger Festival at Doncaster: Sweet William (3:35) – NAP
Sweet William looks the day’s best bet to take this year’s running of the Doncaster Cup. He’s got a length and a quarter to find with Trushan on last year’s running of the event, but the cut in the ground definitely helped Trueshan that day and unless we get significant (unforecast) rainfall at Doncaster Thursday, it looks very much like good ground will be the order of the day Friday, which will help Sweet William get closer.
On top of which, whilst Trueshan, hasn’t had the best of seasons, Sweet William appears to still be progressing, if his two runs behind Kyprios this summer is evidence we can believe. A staying-on third in the Gold Cup was followed up by another good second to the same rival in the Goodwood Cup last time, and on that he holds most of his rivals today. Indeed, of those lining up against him today, only Coltrane has beaten him this season, that on his seasonal debut at Ascot back in May, and he easily reversed that form at Goodwood. He should prove hard to beat here.
St Leger Festival at Doncaster: Jonquil (2:25) – Take On
I’m probably on a hiding to nothing laying Jonquil here, as there was no doubting that, on the eye, he was impressive on debut at Sandown but backing and laying is all about value (or not, as the case may be) and I don’t think, at around 6-4, Jonquil represents much of it.
It is easy to argue that at least three of his six rivals have form in the bank that’s as good as his Sandown win and whilst you can point to Jonquil and say that improvement is virtually guaranteed, I’d say much the same now Symbol Of Honour steps up to seven furlongs and his form is superior to that of Jonquil at this stage.
An easy winner at Lingfield in May (second has won twice since), he looked ready for seven furlongs when a rallying (but not re-rallying, because that word doesn’t exist) sixth in the Coventry last time he was seen. Gelded and given time off since, if he’s ready to go today then he alone will give Jonquil something to think about. I’ll have both Mr Chaplin and The Waco Kid on my side too, and with this test a different one to Sandown, I’m happy to lay him if the price is right.
St Leger Festival at Doncaster: Rare Change (5:20)
I think there’s a race in Rare Change and now Richard Hughes reaches for a pair of blinkers for him, now might be the time to jump aboard. He’s shaped well since going handicapping, hitting the frame on his last three starts and he finds himself 11lb better off with Artagnan for a shade over two lengths on their Goodwood running two starts ago, which should bring the pair closer together.
Hughes is fairly sparing with blinkers but when equipping handicappers with them is 4-18 with then first time up when the expected winners is just over two, recording a healthy profit to level stakes in the process. Oisin Murphy up is hardly a negative either, and given his overall consistency, he looks a good each-way bet if responding to headgear.
By Dave Massey
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