It’s day one of Doncaster’s St Leger Festival on Thursday 10th September, with a sparkling day’s racing taking place on Town Moor. Our value tipster Matthew Sutcliffe is here with his best bets for Thursday’s racing…
Doncaster Racing Tips (Thursday 10th September 2026)
Eight races take place at Doncaster on Thursday, with the action beginning at 1.15pm. Below are Matthew Sutcliffe’s best bets.
13:15 Doncaster – British Stallion Studs ‘Carrie Red’ EBF Fillies’ Nursery Handicap (Class 2) (2yo) – Kodi Bear Light 12/1 1pt EW 4 places
Karl Burke has won this three times since 2017, twice with last time out winners including Half Sovereign last year who won the same Newmarket Handicap en-route as her stablemate Kodi Bear Light did.
In the Jaber Adbdullah colours, the daughter of Kodi Bear was second in a three runner race on debut to 4/11F Hickory Lad, who’s franked that form very healthily since including winning the Epsom Woodcote, and placing in both listed and group company now rated 99.
She got off the mark easily when making all at Thirsk under Jack Nichollss. That form has worked out in places took, as the third (gave 2lbs) has won twice since now rated 84. She went off the boil in two conditions races thereafter, but returned to form upped two furlongs in trip to land a Newmarket nursery beating a consistent sort in second.
The third there franked that next time out when runner up in Group 3 company now rated 12lbs higher. This half a furlong less on a galloping track than can favour those to the fore should suit her and the aforementioned pieces of form suggests she’s still well handicapped off 79 with Jack Nicholls returning to take 3lbs off.
13:50 Doncaster – Weatherbys £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2yo) – Dorigo 22/1 1pt EW 4 places
Night In Vegas is the obvious play in here for last years winning owners giving his rating combined with what weight he carries, but he’s not quite in the ‘Sun Goddess’ category of certainties to play at 11/8 and it may be worth chancing Dorigo, whose maiden status is perhaps making him look overpriced.
The Space Blues colt ran a huge race on debut when beaten four lengths in the Windsor Castle, finishing second in his group of nine to the far-side. A length ahead of him in his group was Sale Shark, now rated 105, in third was the 11/4 favourite now rated 100 after returning with a listed win, the fourth was second in a 39k Goodwood maiden, and the fifth in the group is now rated 111 after a group two success.
Dorigo went close to franking the form himself when beaten a head in a 30k maiden at Goodwood, and had he not hung both ways when lonely in front late on he would almost certainly have won. That race has thrown up winners, including the fourth who’s now rated 107 after finishing 2nd in the Gimcrack at York.
Dorigo was then a staying on fourth down in trip in listed company at York, finding the trip seemingly too sharp. Now back up in trip, he’s worth chancing for a yard among the winners of late who’ve won this race twice since 2017.
15:35 Doncaster – Betfred May Hill Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies) (Class 1) (2yo) – Sea Of Rain 6/1 1pt WIN
Sea Of Rain recorded a second win of her career when taking the Group 3 Newtonanner Stakes in a comfortable manner last month and she looks to still have further improvement over this mile trip.
She raced wide albeit prominent throughout under Colin Keane, who only got serious with her after the two furlong pole with the rest of the field under the pump. Her performance can be upgraded given they went a good gallop early on and she was still up there, with the next two home coming from well off the pace.
She can confirm the form with Ballyskeagh who beat her over seven furlongs last earlier in the campaign, and it was certainly no fluke given her penultimate success saw her beat Citrus Springs by three and a half lengths, who bolted up five lengths next time out and was a head winner of a valuable contest in at Kentucky Downs earlier this week.
She’s already been touted for the Oaks by Jim Bolger, who won this race in 2015 with Turret Rocks.
16:45 Doncaster – East Midlands Airport And Jet2 Nursery Handicap (Class 3) (2yo 0-95) – Fuel The Jet 4/1 1pt WIN
I’m always happy to forgive a juvenile blowing out at York, particularly the Ebor meeting, which was the case with Fuel The Jet who was awfully keen early on and looked all but comfortable throughout.
If he can put that behind him, then he looks very well handicapped off 84 for this nursery debut. He was fifth at Thirsk on debut finishing five lengths behind the now 104 rated Alfred Wallace, with the 106 rated Pikachu in second. That pair pulled four lengths clear of the third, with the fourth winning twice since now rated 103.
He then won by a head at Newbury next time out in game fashion, finishing a length and a half from Rafe’s Da Man who he now has a 7lbs superior swing in the weights with. A mark of 84 looks lenient on the aforementioned form, and if the yard have ironed out his keenness at home in the interim then he looks to have a strong chance for a yard in form.
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Tips for St Leger Festival Day 1
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets at Doncaster on day 1 of St Leger Festival on Thursday 10th September.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s racing tips were published at 11.30am on Wednesday 9th September.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival. Follow him on X: @MattySutcliffe
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