Hector Crouch is Yorkshire bound for Days 2 and 3 of Doncaster’s St Leger Meeting with some eye-catching rides on Town Moor. Read his exclusive column for kwiff ahead of the 2025 St Leger Meeting.
Hector Crouch: St Leger Meeting 2025
Let’s start by last week, on what was ultimately a bit of a frustrating day at Ascot on Saturday. I was very confident of Ralph Beckett’s Push The Limit for the mile and a half handicap, how ultimately just bumped into a well-backed improving animal for the William Haggas yard on the day. He’s still upwardly mobile, and he’s sure to be there in similar handicaps later in the season. We went close in The November Handicap 12 months ago in the Valmont silks, and I could see him go for something like a race such as that.
Hector Crouch: St Leger Meeting 2025 (Friday)
My first ride on Friday is Palmeira (2.25) who goes for trainer Eve Johnston Houghton in the Gp 2 Flying Childers Stakes. She has a bit to find on official ratings, but is a filly with a lot of talent and could cause something of an upset. I’ve spoken to Charlie (Bishop) who says her main challenge is to try and focus herself. She’s a strong traveller so if we can get her to settle she might be able to nick some valuable black type for connections.
The filly Oxford Comma (3.00) bids to beat the boys in the Gp 2 Doncaster Cup and will enjoy every inch of rain in the stamina-sapping contest. She ran a cracker on her seasonal reappearance when third in the marathon handicap at Goodwood over two and a half miles, and should improve further with a run under her belt. She’s got a bit to find but we’re happy to take her chance and she’d love every extra bit of rain that should come.
Perfect Your Craft (3.40) is my best chance of a winner at Doncaster this week, bidding to follow-up her recent course success from a 5lb higher mark. She’s been targeted at this race for some time now, and is another that will love any further juice in the ground. She she continue to improve and can hopefully defy a 5lb rise at the weights. I like her a lot.
Wid (4.10) comes from a top class family – I rode his half-brother (by Siyouni) last season – and he looks a fantastic prospect for Al Shaqab Racing. She looks a fantastic talent but it’s her first day of school, and she will undoubtedly improve plenty for her racecourse debut.
Hector Crouch: St Leger Meeting 2025 (Saturday)
I don’t have a strong opinion in the St Leger, but I would say it isn’t necessarily a walkover for Aidan O’Brien as some parts of the media would have you believe. He saddles three, including favourite Scandinavian and dual Derby hero Lambourn, however I think the Royal Ascot winner Carmers has a great chance stepping back up in trip after his Queen’s Vase success over the same trip.
St Leger Meeting 2025: Saturday Rides
Just five go to post for The Champagne Stakes and I ride the hat-trick seeking Cape Orator (1.50) after his impressive big race success last month in France. The well-bred colt finished strongly to win a nice pot over at Deauville, with the ground much quicker than officially described. We have around a stone to find on official ratings with recent York winner Gewan but we’ll take our chance and see where he stands in terms of this season’s leading 2yos. He’s very uncomplicated and he should go well on his preferred sounder surface.
Ralph Beckett’s Zoom Zoom (3.00) will be a big prices for the Gp 2 Park Stakes but has a better chance than his form figures and his overall rating suggests. He’s been forced to carry big weights in tough handicaps in big fields, which probably isn’t to his liking. A strongly run 7f in a smaller field, with juice in the ground, are his optimal conditions and he should be plenty at home with conditions on Town Moor.
The well-named El Loco (4.15) would be a popular winner for Leeds United and Marcelo Bielsa fans at Doncaster with the unraced Zarak colt fancied to make a nice debut for Valmont and Amo Racing. He’ll appreciate any amount of rain and, like a lot of Zaraks, he can be a bit of a boy. He will learn plenty from this outing and if he’s good enough to win on debut that would be even better.
We had high hopes for Square D’Alboni (4.50) before the start of this season – making a disappointing return in The Chester Vase (won by eventual Epsom and Curragh hero Lambourn) and then finishing fifth in listed class at Hamilton and Clairefontaine.
The ground was much quicker than described last time out in France and, given his 2yo form when winning on heavy over at Chantilly, he’s best seen when cut underfoot. This is his first start in handicap company and back in calmer waters should out-run his likely double figure price. The 3yo gets a nice 7lb weight-for-age allowance and should run well at a price.
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