Saturday takes in day three of the Doncaster St Leger Festival and the world’s oldest Classic race spearheads another top-class card on Town Moor, which also includes a pair of Group Two contests as well as the valuable and competitive Portland Handicap. See our Doncaster day 3 betting tips below.
Seven races in all will go to post throughout Saturday afternoon at Doncaster with ITV Racing on hand once again to bring the best of the day’s racing action into punters’ living rooms around the country.
DONCASTER SATURDAY TIPS – AT-A-GLANCE
1:15 Doncaster – HAWKSBILL (7/1)
1:50 Doncaster – GEWAN (7/4)
2:25 Doncaster – RHYTHM-N-HOOVES (14/1, EW)
3:00 Doncaster – SHADOW OF LIGHT (7/4)
3:40 Doncaster – CARMERS (5/1)
4:15 Doncaster – MR WONKA (15/2)
4:50 Doncaster – BOTANICAL (5/1)
DONCASTER ST LEGER FESTIVAL DAY THREE TIPS – RACE-BY-RACE PREVIEW
1:15 Doncaster – PJ Towey Construction Handicap Cl2 (3yo+) 1m
HAWKSBILL (7/1) might be worth chancing to get back to winning ways and break his duck for the season. Hugo Palmer’s charge has been running well in defeat aside from two lesser runs – both at Ascot – where he’s finished runner-up four times already this term, and he can go one better here.
Beaten a nose two starts ago at Haydoc,k he again found only one too good at Chester late last month, beaten just one length by Yanifer when sporting first-time cheekpieces, running on well but no match for the winner.
That run was over an extended seven furlongs, so the return to one mile ought to be in his favour and he’s only 1lb higher here than at Chester. Drying ground is another positive, and given he’s been fairly consistent this term, he could again go close.
1:50 Doncaster – Betfred Champagne Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings) Cl1 (2yo) 7f
Unbeaten GEWAN (7/4) is the highest rated of this quintet and Andrew Balding’s unbeaten Night Of Thunder colt and making it three wins from three starts.
The latest of those came with a defeat of Italy in the Acomb Stakes at York last month, where he won a shade readily; while the form of his debut victory at Newbury back in July is working out well. There is almost certainly more to come from him upped in grade, and he could prove a tough nut to crack, although none of the five runners can be safely ruled out.
2:25 Doncaster – Betfred Portland (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 (3yo+) 5½f
RHYTHM-N-HOOVES (14/1, EW) won on his last visit to Town Moor last term, and the Pearl Secret gelding arrives here in good fettle following his latest victory at Newbury last month, so it might be worth sticking with Robert Cowell’s charge to follow up.
He has been a shade inconsistent this term, but his last two runs have both been solid efforts, going close at Ascot in July when beaten less than one length by Cover Up and going one better latest with a defeat of Getreadytorumble.
He travelled well off the pace in that contest and came through late to get up close home, winning a shade cosily, and a 4lbs rise may not anchor him too much as he bids to go in again. Softer ground shouldn’t present an issue, and there’s no shortage of pace in this race, so he ought to get the race run to suit. A big run wouldn’t come as a surprise, assuming he continues his current good form, and he can go close under Billy Loughnane, who gets on well with the five-year-old.
3:00 Doncaster – Betfred Park Stakes (Group 2) Cl1 (3yo+) 7f
SHADOW OF LIGHT (7/4) hasn’t quite gone on from his juvenile season, where he won four times, including twice at Group One level; but taking a drop in class here can see the Lope De Vega colt resume winning ways.
Third in the 2000 Guineas on his reappearance, he has run well on both subsequent starts in finishing fifth to Time For Sandals in the Commonwealth Cup and more recently crossing the line in fourth in the Prix Jean Prat when last seen.
Those performances set a pretty stiff standard, and there could still be more to come with a tongue-tie reapplied, having been left off in that French run. He returns from a couple of months off the track, but he ought to find this company a little easier than what he’s contested previously and no surprise to see him going close.
3:40 Doncaster – Betfred St Leger Stakes (Group 1) (No Geldings) Cl1 (3yo) 1m6½f
Progressive CARMERS (5/1) lost his unbeaten record at York last month, but Paddy Twomey’s charge can quickly bounce back to winning ways.
That York defeat came over a trip likely too short for the Wootton Bassett colt, who was beaten just one length by Pride Of Arras in the Great Voltigeur; but he had won his three previous starts, which included the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, and a return to this longer trip can only be in his favour.
The prospect of slightly slower ground shouldn’t present an issue despite all his form being on quicker ground aside from his Irish debut at Ballinrobe and reunited with Billy Lee, who is 2-2 on him, the pair can mount a bold bid for Classic glory.
4:15 Doncaster – British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (GBB/GBBPlus) Cl2 (2yo) 1m
MR WONKA (15/2) wasn’t disgraced on his racecourse debut at Sandown last month, and with that experience under his belt, Hugo Palmer’s charge ought to feature here given he’s expected to improve.
The Mehmas colt may not have found the softer ground on that occasion quite to his liking, and so the dryer conditions he’s likely to encounter here could show him in better light. He was outpaced three furlongs out but stayed on at one pace without ever matching the winner, and this extra furlong also looks in his favour.
Expected to build on the promise he showed on debut, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if he were to step up here and he can get off the mark at the second attempt.
4:50 Doncaster – Mastiff Manor Handicap (GBBPlus Race) Cl2 (3yo+ 0-105) 1m2f
BOTANICAL (5/1) is chanced to land the finale having failed to fire at Epsom when last seen; but the Lope De Vega gelding had shown up well previously in Listed company and returning from a break, he remains capable of better.
George Boughey’s charge has run well fresh in the past, winning after an eight-month layoff when trained by Roger Varian, and he posted a very good third on the back of six months off when finishing third over this course in the Doncaster Mile in March.
He’s had just three runs this term, following up that bronze medal with a solid fifth upped to this trip at Kempton behind Military Order, and it is possible he didn’t act on the track at Epsom last time out. Cheekpieces he wore on that occasion are quickly dispensed with also, and he remains unexposed over this distance.
Fresh might be the time to catch him, and he can give a good account of this slightly reduced mark.
Doncaster Free Bets
