Friday’s Tips
- Final Objective (Doncaster, 14.25) – 1pt each-way @ 13/2 (Unibet)
- Caballo De Mar (Doncaster, 15.00) – 2pts win @ 9/4 (William Hill)
- Nochebuena (Doncaster, 15.35) – 1pt each-way @ 5/1 (Betway)
- Launch Sequence (Doncaster, 16.45) – 1pt each-way @ 7/1 (bet365)
It’s day two of four at Doncaster’s St Leger Festival and I’ve come up with four selections on the Town Moor card.
Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes (Group 2) (14.25, Doncaster)
A cracking Group 2 sprint in prospect with some talented juveniles in the field. Pershaada is one of those, after a very good performance in the Molecomb at Goodwood and she wasn’t disgraced at York last time.
Sale Shark looked a progressive colt and a win for him would be no surprise, while Flann Sunna and Carry The Flag can also have cases made but I like the look of FINAL OBJECTIVE.
Hamad Al Jehani’s gelding has some very good 6f form to his name and broke his duck in a Thirsk maiden (6f, good) last month, before posting a very progressive effort when second in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York (6f, good to soft) last time.
He’s a strong travelling sort who looks very much like he’ll have the pace for this shorter trip, particularly with conditions on the easy side and the likelihood of more rain before the race. He’s as big as 13/2 on some betting sites at the time of writing and I think that looks good value on an each-way basis, with the win a distinct possibility.
Friday tip 1: Final Objective – 1pt each-way @ 13/2 (Unibet)
Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup Stakes (Group 2) (15.00, Doncaster)
Some good stayers on show here but when all things are considered, it will be a surprise if the winner doesn’t come from one of two runners.
It was good to see Queenstown end a losing run in a Group 3 at the Curragh (1m6f) last time. That confidence booster should stand him in good stead this time, as he did it well.
He finished third in last year’s Prix du Cadran (2m4f, very soft), a race won by CABALLO DE MAR. Regulars may recall I was on his side in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot but, after running a cracker, he folded in the final quarter of a mile.
I think the return to 2m2f on this flatter track should be a positive for him and we know he’s proven in Group 1 company and also acts well on soft ground, so he’s got plenty going for him, albeit he will have to shake off a below par effort in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup last time.
The usual cheekpieces are being swapped for blinkers this time, which may be another way of helping him get back on track.
Friday racing tip 2: Caballo De Mar – 2pts win @ 9/4 (William Hill)
British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap (15.35, Doncaster)
Silver Lake arrives in tremendous form after wins at both Glorious Goodwood and York’s Ebor Festival. She is up another 6lb for those successes and is aiming to complete a four-timer for the Wathnan Racing team and trainer William Haggas.
She’d certainly not be a surprise winner but she will have to prove she gets this longer trip and may not now be as good-a-value proposition as one or two others, who can offer us some each-way places to play with on horse racing betting sites.
One of those is Salamanca City, who is proven over this far and with some ease in the ground, while Ruby Wedding is another short-listed, though will have to prove she handles these conditions.
That leads us to NOCHEBUENA, who showed a good attitude when winning a C&D novice in June (good to soft) and ran really well when beaten by just a short head on being stepped up to 1m4f at Ascot (good to firm) last time, with a 5lb claimer up.
She’s up another 4lb for that effort but she is very much going the right way and back on slower ground, in particular, should have further improvement to come.
Friday racing tip 3: Nochebuena – 1pt each-way @ 5/1 (Betway)
Tanbry Construction Nursery Handicap (16.45, Doncaster)
A big field nursery in which cases can be made for several of them, including Pride Of Toledo, Super Tuscan and the hat-trick seeking Henley On Thames.
There are also a few who make their nursery debuts that look very interesting prospects, not least Beresford Gap and Washington Royale but I’d like to take a chance on LAUNCH SEQUENCE, who represents Wathnan Racing and trainer Karl Burke.
He’s had a positive experience over C&D, being a close-up third on debut (good to firm) in July. He followed that up with an improved effort at Goodwood (6f, good), when sticking on well for third in a strong maiden.
Never far off the pace at York last time, he did hang a bit when push came to shove but stuck on well enough to be a 4L sixth (7f, good to soft) in what was also a deep enough contest.
Back down in trip here, he looks to have the potential for further improvement now switching to handicap company on what looks like a workable mark. Connections reach for cheekpieces for the first time.
Friday tip 4: Launch Sequence – 1pt each-way @ 7/1 (bet365)
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