Doncaster St. Leger Meeting: Best Bets

The eyes of the racing world look to South Yorkshire this week, as Doncaster plays host to its major event of the season with the annual edition of the St. Leger meeting. Here we pick out our best bets for the closing two days, including our selection in the big one itself.

Flying Childers Stakes: Time for Harry to Strike

A pair of fillies head the betting in this event for the juvenile speedsters. Whilst it is hard to argue with the form credentials of Richard Fahey’s The Platinum Queen and Trillium from the yard of Richard Hannon, it is worth noting that this event has been landed by a filly just once in the past ten years. With that stat in mind, it may just be worth seeking an each-way alternative to the two short-priced runners.

The one to catch our eye at a big price is the Irish raider Harry Time. An impressive winner on debut, this one then ran with great credit to finish within a few lengths of the talented Persian Force in Group 2 events over 6f at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood, looking as though a drop back to the minimum trip may be in order on both occasions. Dropped to 5f last time out at the Curragh, he completely blew the start, losing more at the gates than the 5l¼ by which he was eventually beaten. Granted a cleaner break this time around, he looks good value to hit the frame.

Betting tip - Harry Time each way @ 33/1 with bet365

Cazoo Handicap: Bell to Go Well for Doyle

Our second bet on Day 3 comes in this competitive handicap event over 6½f. The likes of Tanmawwy, Able Kane, Mums Tipple, and the five-timer seeking Juan Les Pins all make obvious appeal, but all have been well found by the market, and it is another each-way play for us in this.

The one to take a chance on is the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained, Bellosa. Now four years old, this daughter of Awtaad remains unexposed in this sort of race on what will be only her third start in handicap company. Rated as high as 101 in 2021, she has dropped to 96 here and that may just prove to be a winnable mark. An eighth of nine finish last time out in a Listed event at Newmarket doesn’t really tell the whole tale, with Bellosa being just one of two runners to head to the far rail, in a race where the first seven home all came down the near side. Twice a winner at 7f, this extended six shouldn’t prove an issue, and she’s fancied to go close under the excellent Hollie Doyle.

Betting tip - Bellosa ew @ 16/1 with Ladbrokes

Park Stakes: Each Way Wizard?

Kinross appears to be a worthy favourite in the big race on the Saturday undercard and would look to hold the likes of Sacred, Jumby, and Al Suhail on their recent clash at Goodwood. Four from nine at the trip, a price of around 15/8 looks fair but doesn’t have us rushing to back the mount of Frankie Dettori.

Continuing the theme of each way selections at bigger prices, the one we will be taking a small chance on here is one of the two three-year-olds in the race, The Wizard Of Eye. This son of Galileo Gold may just be suited by the forecast rain in the area, and ran a cracker when forcing German Guineas winner Rocchigiani to pull out all the stops last time out at Goodwood. Under a length down at the line, that effort is worth upgrading considering he lost a shoe during the race, and was hampered when making his run up the rail. He will need to improve, but has the profile to do so and is worth a small flutter.

Betting tip - The Wizard of Eye each way @ 33/1 with William Hill

St. Leger Stakes: Beckett Worth a Bet in the Big One

Charlie Appleby’s New London is trading odds in places for the big one having advertised his claims when forging on close home in the Gordon Stakes over 1m4f last time out. Impeccably bred, and hailing from the yard which landed this prize twelve months ago, his claims are there for all to see. However, taking such a short price about a runner yet to tackle the distance, or run in Group 1 company isn’t for us.

Hoo Ya Mal finished an excellent second in the Derby, but was losing ground at the line in that Gordon Stakes event, and will be doing well to turn the tables over this trip. Eldar Eldarov appeared an obvious contender for this in winning each of his first three starts but fluffed his lines on his first crack at Group 1 company last time out. With question marks against a few of the market principles, Giavoletto is worth considering at big prices, but overall we are just swayed by the clear potential of Ralph Beckett’s Haskoy. Raced just twice, this filly has won both starts, including when coming from the clouds to get up on the line over 1m4f at York in August. Still green as grass that day, this step up in trip may bring about more. Beckett knows what it takes to succeed having tasted St. Leger glory with the filly Simple Verse in 2015, and he looks to have another likely sort on his hands here.

Betting tip - Haskoy each way @ 7/1 with 888sport