I’ve unearthed a huge 12-1 tip in St Leger Festival opener… plus all my picks for day one
THREE races for juveniles and a staying event for fillies and mares are hardly the stuff of dreams today.
But let’s hope I can find you a winner or three as the Doncaster St Leger meeting gets under way.
There’s always a good atmosphere for the Leger, but watch the weather forecast as plenty of rain is forecast in the region over the next few days before Saturday’s final British Classic of the campaign.
It’s hard to say what is the big race this afternoon, but there’s no doubt the horse I’m most interested in seeing is DRAGON LEADER (2.25) in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-y-o Sales race over six furlongs.
I have to say I’m not a fan of these events, as they take horses away from Pattern races, but that aside I was hugely impressed with Dragon Leader at York last time and while the ground is a real worry I have to side with him for Clive Cox and William Buick.
My selection has plenty to find with Johannes Brahms on ratings and the latter has Irish form with some give, but the hope is Dragon Leader is a proper machine.
Cox is brilliant at bringing through horses like this and it is a big opportunity for a large pot for Kennet Valley Syndicates.
ITV’s coverage gets under way here with a handicap for juveniles over an extended six furlongs and it is a wide open event.
CHINESE KNOT (1.50) may have reached her ratings limit but there is also a chance she just loves some juice in the ground and she should get that for this race.
With some give she did really well in Racing League at Yarmouth and Chepstow.
She was disappointing at Windsor on good to firm but that effort suggested with conditions in her favour and back on give she might be worth chancing one more time. A few quid each-way for me.
Juveniles again with the Group 2 Betfred May Hill for fillies over a mile.
DARNATION (3.00) faces some lightly raced types who will improve but the selection brings the best form to the table and will relish the trip and going.
The Prestige winner showed guts and talent at Goodwood having been slowly away and won going away suggesting a mile will be right up her street.
She’ll be hard to beat for Karl Burke who is having some season with his younger horses.
For many the main event of day is the Group 2 Betfred Park Hill over an extended mile and three quarters for fillies and mares.
Not many of these have a rating to match the quality of this race.
GOLDEN LYRA (3.35) was paceless behind Melo Melo in a Group 2 in France last time but eventually got going to finish a fair fourth.
It was not a run to get excited about at all, but suggested off a stronger gallop in the UK she would do better for William Haggas and Tom Marquand and she has every chance of hitting the frame. An each-way bet.
Good luck! Yeehaaa!
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