A terrific day 2 of Doncaster’s St Leger Festival will take place on Friday 11th September. Seven races make up the afternoon action, with the Group 2 Doncaster Cup the feature race alongside the Flying Childers Stakes.
Steve Chambers previews the action on Town Moor and picks out his four best bets to make up the Lucky 15 for the day…
Doncaster Racing Tips (Friday 11th September)
Doncaster’s eight races begin at 1.15pm and go right through until 5.20pm. Here are the best bets across the afternoon action.
1.15 Doncaster – Nabati (1pt win – 6/4)
No match for the hugely progressive two-year-old Arapaho Gold in a listed Newbury contest, Nabati then went and claimed a novice stake win at Newmarket. Charlie Appleby’s raider has looked every bit a smart performer and he will step up to 7f for the first time in the 1.15pm contest at Doncaster. He will face some notable rivals in this listed Flying Scotsman Stakes, with Forbidden Fire and Rock Montreal looking dangers. However, he’s the one that could kick on to become a Group horse as a three-year-old and he can land the win.
3.00 Doncaster – Queenstown (1pt win – 2/1)
A shock winner of the Irish St Leger trial at the Curragh last time out, Queenstown can show that performance wasn’t a fluke as he can bound to victory in the Doncaster Cup at 3.00pm. He will face a solid yardstick in the shape of Caballo De Mar, but George Scott’s raider has often struggled to deliver the goods on British soil and could be worth taking on here. Aidan O’Brien’s Queenstown had previously finished second in a French Group 1, so the Ballydoyle raider has shown a real high level of consistency and he can bag the big prize on the day.
3.35 Doncaster – Ruby Wedding (1pt win – 6/1)
Silver Lake goes in search of a four-timer in the 3.35pm at Doncaster, but the William Haggas-trained raider can fall to Ruby Wedding in an intriguing contest. Andrew Balding’s string have been in sensational form all season, and with two wins from her last two starts the daughter of Sea The Moon can continue that top form. She scorched to a two-and-a-half length victory at Salisbury last time out, and whilst she’s been upped 5lbs by the handicapper, she looks more than capable of scoring off a mark of 86.
4.45 Doncaster – Launch Sequence (1pt win – 7/1)
Karl Burke’s Launch Sequence has yet to get his head in front, but he was last seen running a fine race when fifth in the Convivial Maiden Stakes at York. Now moving into handicap company, the Mehmas colt could well be capable of capitalising on a mark of 85 and he has to be a leading contender. Plenty of his rivals on Friday have already tasted victory, so could be a little in the handicapper’s grip, but Launch Sequence has to be given the utmost respect, if he can kick on from York.
