Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Two fantastic Group 1s to look forward to this week with the final Classic of the season, St Leger at Doncaster and the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown where the French superstar, Vadeni, looks to continue his winning ways.
After his battle with Mishriff in the Eclipse, I am really looking forward to a rerun of between these two, a lot will depend on the going with the French champion relishing some cut in the ground, but I think he will prevail.
There are three further races from Doncaster besides St Leger, which I’ve reviewed below, including the Portland Handicap and a couple of Group 2s to look forward to. The meeting is backed up by two races from Chester giving us seven contests altogether this Saturday and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.45 Doncaster. Count d’Orsay
2.55 Doncaster. Garrus
3.30 Doncaster. Eldar Eldarov
2.35 Chester. Revich
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Starting at Doncaster with the big handicap of the day at 1.45 the Coral Portland Handicap run at five and a half furlong where Kevin Ryan has a couple with chances, including top weight Justanotherbottle who won at Ripon in June but he may have too much weight here.
Ryan’s other runner is the talented Bergerac who won over this distance at York last month beating several of the horses he meets here but he has risen in the weights for his previous two victories.
Another trainer with a pair with chances is Roger Teal who runs Whenthedealisdone and Chipstead, the former won easily at Ascot last week and was fifth in this last year – he may have to settle for something similar.
Chipstead won at Sandown last month but has risen 8lbs and steps up in class.
Intrinsic Bond won for trainer Lucy Waggott at Ripon last month then flopped at Thirsk two weeks later.
Ian Williams runs Night On Earth who won at Nottingham in August but this is much tougher than that 4 runner contest.
I like the look of Tim Easterby’s Count d’Orsay who sneaks in at the bottom of the handicap. He has been running in top-level handicaps and has dropped down the weights. He was third in this last year and can improve on that with his featherweight.
At 2.55 it is the Cazoo Park Stakes, a 7-furlong contest. Ralph Beckett’s Kinross is fancied here after his victory at York last week where he has Al Suhail, Jumby and Sacred behind him and I expect him to confirm those placings.
Charlie Appleby’s Al Suhail looks the best of the three after his York run which was his first outing since returning from the Middle East during the winter. He will improve for that run.
Charles Hills’ Garrus has been running well in France, including when beaten less than a length in a Group 1 at Deauville and I see no problem in him stepping up to 7 furlongs.
Chris Wall’s Double Or Bubble who won at Goodwood at the end of August and can go well here but it is a Grade higher.
I will go for Garrus on his French form to take this.
At 3.30 it is the final Classic of the season the Cazoo St Leger Stakes where Charlie Appleby’s New London is quite a warm favourite after his latest victory in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood.
His other two victories have come at Newmarket but this is his first attempt at this distance. Roger Varian’s Eldar Eldarov has won at this distance at Ascot’s Royal meeting in June but he was disappointing at Longchamp the following month, that was the only defeat of his career.
Giavellotto for Marco Botti won over this distance last time at Newmarket but this is a major step up in class for the handicapper.
George Boughey’s horses are having a great season and his Hoo Ya Mal finally got his head in front at Goodwood last month after being defeated by New London at the July meeting.
Haskoy is something of an enigma. She has only run twice in her life, winning both, however one was a Class 5 at Wolverhampton and the other was a Listed race at York last month. She has a sex allowance of 3lbs and the help of jockey, Frankie Dettori, who knows how to win a Leger and he admits she may have to improve a lot, she may be placed but it’s Eldar Eldarov for me.
Moving to Chester and at 2.35 we have the 1m 2f Precision Facades Handicap.
Amy Murphy saddles the top weight here with Pride Of America who has won three times already this season. He went to try his luck in a Listed race in France in June and was well beaten. This is his first race since then.
Brian Ellison’s Cormier was a course and distance winner in July in a lowly Class 4 contest. He then went to Hamilton where he was a well-beaten favourite.
Another course and distance winner is Roger Fell’s Jean Baptiste but his form in Class 3 handicaps has been poor since.
Tim Easterby’s Myristica won a couple of small contests earlier in the season but has been unsuccessful since stepping up in grade.
I like Richard Spencer’s Revich who has been placed three times this season in five outings, those placings have been in Grade 2 contests and he can go one better here and take this.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.45 Doncaster. Count d’Orsay
2.55 Doncaster. Garrus
3.30 Doncaster. Eldar Eldarov
2.35 Chester. Revich
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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