It’s the second day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster, featuring five more races shown on ITV1, all of which I have picks for. My top tip, the nap, runs in the day’s richest race—the £165,000 Doncaster Cup at 3 pm.
The first race at 1:15 pm also deserves attention, historically significant as it was won by the legendary Frankel in only his second career start back in 2010. I’m backing a promising filly here who nearly earned my nap pick for the day.
Here are my leading three selections for Doncaster, with odds from Sky Bet accurate at the time of writing:
Ron Wood’s Tips
(odds by Sky Bet)
- 1:15 pm Doncaster: Forbidden Fire ⭐⭐⭐ at 5/1
- 3:00 pm Doncaster: Queenstown (nap) ⭐⭐⭐ (Non-runner)
- 3:35 pm Doncaster: Silver Lake ⭐⭐⭐ at 7/4
1:15 pm Doncaster – Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes (7f)
This race stands out, having been won impressively by Frankel as a two-year-old by 13 lengths when it was just a conditions race. This year’s contest looks intriguing. I had previously tipped Rock Montreal for the Group 3 Solario Stakes, but he was withdrawn due to slow ground. With this race likely tougher, I am switching to Forbidden Fire.
Trained by Andrew Balding, she impressed on debut by winning a 6f novice race at Salisbury by over five lengths, and the form looks solid—the horse who finished sixth behind her recently won a nursery. Forbidden Fire comes from a successful family; she’s a half-sister to the Group 2 winner See The Fire, and her dam Arabian Queen was a Group 1 victor.
Selection: Forbidden Fire ⭐⭐⭐
1:50 pm Doncaster – Class 5 Leger Legends Classified Stakes (1m)
This event is for former professional jockeys. It’s an open race, but the Andrew Tinkler-ridden Nyman looks to have a good chance. He won a Class 4 handicap at Thirsk six days ago despite needing a tactical switch to take control. Though he now carries a penalty and his three wins have come over 7f, the slightly longer mile should be within his reach.
Selection: Nyman ⭐⭐
2:25 pm Doncaster – Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes (5f)
Predicting this two-year-old sprint isn’t easy, but I’m tentatively backing Hamad Al Jehani’s Final Objective. He’s been a bit headstrong but showed promise finishing second in the 6f Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York, and should handle the shorter distance well.
Selection: Final Objective ⭐⭐
3:00 pm Doncaster – Group 2 Doncaster Cup (2m 2f)
Queenstown (nap) has now been declared a non-runner.
This six-year-old, trained by Aidan O’Brien, was a close third behind Caballo De Mar in a 2m 4f Group 1 race in France last autumn, coming off a short six-day break, suggesting he might still be improving. After returning from injury last August with a convincing win in a 1m 6f Group 3 at the Curragh, Queenstown looked to be in top form.
Selection: Queenstown (nap) ⭐⭐⭐ (Non-runner)
3:35 pm Doncaster – Class 2 Fillies’ Handicap (1m 4f)
The William Haggas-trained Silver Lake has consistently won all three of her handicap races around 1m 2f since adding a tongue-tie. This striking grey filly, purchased for 420,000 guineas as a yearling, appears to have the stamina and ability to handle the longer distance and improve further.
Selection: Silver Lake ⭐⭐⭐
Summary of Friday’s Doncaster Tips:
- 1:15 pm – Forbidden Fire
- 1:50 pm – Nyman
- 2:25 pm – Final Objective
- 3:00 pm – Queenstown (nap) – Non-runner
- 3:35 pm – Silver Lake
Other UK and Irish Fixtures on Friday, September 11:
Flat Racing:
- Doncaster (1:15 pm – 5:20 pm, Sky Sports Racing)
- Chester (1:37 pm – 5:03 pm, Sky Sports Racing)
- Sandown (2:01 pm – 5:32 pm, Racing TV)
- Salisbury (3:41 pm – 6:28 pm, Racing TV)
Jump Racing:
- Ballinrobe (3:24 pm – 7:10 pm, Racing TV)
Free-to-air Coverage:
- ITV1 (1:00 pm – 3:59 pm): Live Doncaster St Leger Festival racing
Star Ratings Explained
Stars reflect the strength of the tip (out of five). Odds are from Sky Bet and were accurate at publishing.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Confident pick
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strong choice
- ⭐⭐⭐ Fair chance
- ⭐⭐ Tentative
- ⭐ Minimum confidence
- 🚨 Graded/Group 1 race
Fan Take:
This preview highlights some promising young talent and seasoned competitors, making Doncaster’s St Leger meeting a must-watch event for horse racing fans. With the prestige of historic races and potential future stars showcased, outcomes here could shape the narrative of the sport’s upcoming season.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
