Today marks the start of four excellent days racing on Town Moor with the start of Doncaster’s St Leger Festival and the last classic of the flat season with Roger Varian’s Epsom runner-up Kingston Hill the current 5/2 favourite to go one better than his Derby second to Aidan O’Brien’s Australia.
Last year’s corresponding card producing subsequent dual Guineas bridesmaid Lightning Thunder, who chased home Miss France at Newmarket and Marvellous at the Curragh.
Olly Stevens’ star filly landed the 6f conditions stakes last term and whilst classics may be out of reach for Tom Dascombe’s Angelic Lord (2.30) he looks a cut above the field for this year’s field and can score here en-route to pattern class thereafter.
The Dark Angel colt rallied late-on to win a maiden at Ripon that has worked out very well, building on that further to when beaten just three lengths to subsequent Group One scorer The Wow Signal in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. The selection chased home 2000 Guineas favourite Ivawood on his last outing at Glorious Goodwood when beaten just three lengths and on that form should go close.
Sole Power won the 2012 renewal of the Scarborough Stakes, unleashing his trademark tremendous turn of foot and another potential superstar sprinter can emerge victorious with Reckless Abandon (3.00) returning from the covering shed, tail tucked firmly between his legs.
The selection was unbeaten as a juvenile winning all five starts and signing off his 2-y-o campaign with success in the G1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. He held his form last season when finishing fifth in the brace of races at the top level and ran an excellent race on his comeback to finish third at Newmarket last month after an absence of almost a year. With a run under his belt he looks primed for a big run ahead of an autumn campaign for new trainer Charlie Appleby.
Godolphin have an excellent record in the 10f conditions takes, winning the corresponding race last season with Out of Bounds and Clon Brulee (4.10) is fancied to hand the Boys in Blue further success. The selection has been consistent since joining from David Barron and was rewarded for a consistent season scoring at Newmarket last month. The 5-y-o ran an excellent third from top weight in a competitive handicap at Sandown a fortnight ago but can return to winning ways with Ryan Moore in the plate for the very first time.
The BetVictor Racing Club horse Bob (3.35) makes a return after three months out looking to give Dale Gibson a memorable win in the ‘Legends Race’ on the card. Gibson helps organise the race, raising money for charity in the process, so fingers crossed Bob can give him a good spin with the Les Eyre stable in much better form than his last appearance in June.
Karl Burke’s Ticking Katie (4.45) has been progressive since returning this season, winning a warm apprentice handicap at York, placing twice thereafter and taken to build on that in the 3-y-o handicap. The filly was an unlucky loser when second at the meeting last term, attempting to make all and tiring in the closing stages, doing similar when failing to see out a mile last time out at Thirsk. The drop back to seven furlongs combined with the drying out ground she see her remain competitive.
For all the latest odds and more head to BetVictor.com. Be Lucky.