Racing Chat - Saturday 14th September

[The Brigadier]

Doncaster 1.50

The first of five races covered by the ITV cameras on the third day of four of the Doncaster St Leger meeting is the Group 2 Betfred Champagne Stakes run over 7F for two-year-old cots and geldings. Six promising juveniles had declared with the John & Thady Gosden trained Chancellor heading the market. He’s won twice here at Town Moor this season from just three starts and must be a live player. Arguably the form horse is the Hugo Palmer trained Wolf Of Badenoch who’s second last time out at in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood has been franked by the horse that finished 1 1/2L behind him winning the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes since. The one horse though that really took my breath away on his debut was the Richard Spencer trained Righthere Rightnow who spreadeagled his field on his debut on Newmarket’s July course coming home 5L to the good. It was one of the most impressive performances I’ve seen this summer from a newcomer and even though the form hasn’t really held up (eight have run from the race and all been beat) he’s a must back for me with Rossa Ryan replacing Rab Havlin who is claimed to ride Chancellor for the Gosdens.

 

RIGHTHERE RIGHTNOW 1 point win @ 7-2 BetVictor

 

Chester 2.05

Eight stand their ground for the listed Virgin Bet Stand Cup Stakes run over 1M 4 1/2F with the race to be run on soft ground. The stand out bet here has to be the William Haggas trained La Yakel whose form figures on soft ground or worse read 121. He ran out a comfortable 2 1/2L winner of a valuable 1M 4F handicap on heavy ground last time out at Hamilton and with Adam Farragher coming in for the plum ride as the likes of Marquand and Fallon are riding elsewhere can win again. The biggest threat may come from last year’s winner Al Qareem who beat the smart Bluestocking in this last year.

 

LA YAKEL 2 points win @ 7-4 bet365

 

Doncaster 2.25

The day’s big handicap is the 5F 143 yard Betfred Portland Handicap in which we have a maximum field of twenty two sprinters. As you would expect it’s a wide open contest with many holding claims. John & Thady Gosden’s Cover Up must be on the short list after a luckless effort last time out at York when fifth to Elmonjed along with last week’s winner Shahgreen although he has been re-assessed and is now 3lb higher in the ratings. My two against the field are the ultra consistent Jim Goldie trained American Affair who was third to the aforementioned Shahgreen a week ago at Haydock (now 3lb better off) having not had the cleanest of runs throughout and at a bigger price the Richard Fahey trained Vintage Clarets who’s on a winning mark and this is his time of the year. The main play is American Affair but I can’t resist a small ew saver on Vintage Clarets.

 

AMERICAN AFFAIR 1 point each way @ 11/1 William Hill 1/5th 123456

VINTAGE CLARETS 1/2 point each way @ 16/1 bet365 1/5th 123456

 

Chester 2.40

Thirteen runners go to post for this class 2 Livescore Bet Watergate Cup over just short of 2M. Two mudlarks who fought out the finish of the race last year, Tashkan and Emiyn are back again to renew rivalry and with conditions very much in their favour can both go close again. Last year Brian Ellison’s Tashkan beat Emiyn by a length but is now 2lb worse off and on that form there shouldn’t be much between them. Tashkan ran a shocker last time out mind and sports a first time visor here whilst Emiyn is a real track specialist having won three of his ten starts here by making all on each of those occasions. He’s bagged stall 1 today and even though this is a 2M race that has to be a bonus with the only three confirmed pace forcers drawn in stalls 11 and 13. Hopefully 3lb claiming apprentice Zak Wheatley, who knows him well having ridden him on eight occasions previously including two of his 3 wins here, can set the right fractions and take the spoils. He’s the selection but I can’t resist a small stakes saver on Tashkan.

 

EMIYN 1 point each way @ 6/1 Ladbrokes 1/5th 1234

TASHKAN 1/2 point each way @ bet365 1/5th 1234

 

Doncaster 3.00

The Betfred Park Stakes is a Group 2 contest run over 7F and has this year attracted ten runners. 2022 winner Kinross heads the market but I’m not entirely sure the seven-year-old is as good as he was and is opposable here. Lead Artist is lightly raced for the Gosden’s and looks a player though is dropping down a furlong today. Poet Master has to shoulder a 3lb penalty for his Group 2 victory at The Curragh and there maybe some value in the Andrew Balding trained three-year-old Al Shabab Storm who’s won three of his last four starts including a Group 3 in Germany at Baden-Baden last month (he has no penalty for that win). His form this year is littered with horses that have gone on to win at pattern company with the likes of Quinault and Breege amongst them and with only officially 4lb to find with the top rated looks a value play each way especially with the firms who are paying four places.

 

AL SHABAB STORM 1 point each way @ 7/1 Betfred 1/5th 1234

 

Doncaster 3.40

The final English classic of the season is the group 1 1M 6 1/2F Betfred St Leger which has attracted a field of just seven. Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has three of the field including current favourite Illinois who to my eyes has the best form and stays well. A winner over this trip in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot he’s finished runner up in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris and Group 2 Great Voltigeur over 1M 4F and will relish stepping back up in trip. Wayne Lordan rode him last time and in the absence of Ryan Moore who’s over in Ireland takes the mount here. The dangers may well come from within with Grosvenor Square who made all to win unchallenged by 20L at The Curragh last time and Jan Brueghel who’s unbeaten in three starts including twice in Group 3 company and stepping up in trip here representing the master Irish trainer. It would be no shock to see him have a 1-2-3. The home contingent is led by the Ralph Beckett trained filly You Got To Me and on ratings she should be bang there but I’m not sure this test of stamina will suit this exuberant racer.

 

ILLIONIS 1 point win @ 15/8 William Hill

 

[ivans82]

Been watching all the replays of the previous outings of the St Leger field and You Got To Me appeals at the prices . All it`s best work at 12f comes in the last furlong , it runs more like a stayer than a horse with a turn of foot , looked an EW steal , but now we are down to the dreaded 7 runners ,  will still have a bit on at the 6-1 available .