As Irish eyes look to the Curragh for day two of Irish Champions Weekend, the curtain comes down on the St Leger Festival on Sunday afternoon. The Sceptre Stakes headlines one final card at Doncaster, which also features seven competitive handicaps.
Here are my best betting tips for Sunday's ITV Races at Doncaster.
ITV Racing Schedule
| Time | Title |
|---|---|
| 1:25pm | Land Of Lights Festival At Gullivers Handicap (Class 3) 5f |
| 1:55pm | Betfred 'The Classic Bookmaker' Handicap (Class 2) 6½f |
| 2:30pm | Betfred City Of Doncaster Handicap (Class 2) 7f |
| 3:05pm | Japan Racing Association Sceptre Fillies' Stakes (Group 3) 7f |
| 3:40pm | Betfred Mallard Handicap (Class 2) 1m6½f |
ITV Racing Tips - Sunday 13th September
1:25pm Doncaster - Land Of Lights Festival At Gullivers Handicap Tips
I'd be surprised if THE MAN (9/1) was available at this sort of price come Sunday. Richard Spencer campaigned his four-year-old lightly last season, running him three times in Meydan before a tame effort on his return to Britain at Newcastle.
Saffie Osborne's mount was very slowly away when well beaten at Glorious Goodwood and faded during the final 100 yards of his most recent outing at York. Yet, those defeats have seen The Man drop to a mark of 87, and on the evidence of his victory and runner-up finishes in big handicaps at York last season, Spencer's charge is much better than his current rating suggests.
1:55pm Doncaster - Betfred Handicap Tips
ASUKA (6/1) couldn't justify a short price on his most recent start at Chester, but George Boughey's lightly-raced four-year-old remains open to plenty of progress during the final weeks of the season.
Boughey's gelding returned from a two-year absence in July, winning easily as a 1/50 short on his second start back. Jack Callan's mount then burst through traffic at a crucial stage to claim a cosy win on his handicap debut at Thirsk, before failing to see out his effort when third behind Whip Cracker on the Roodee last month.
Asuka travelled into that seven-and-a-half contest well, before his effort flattened out. Hector Crouch's mount drops back a full furlong in trip on Sunday, and I fancy this distance will suit the dangerous Asuka well.
2:30pm Doncaster - City Of Doncaster Handicap Tips
As most of the fancied runners in this handicap are returning to the track after a significant absence, I'm going to take them on with the hard-fit IRONWILL (11/1), who has been learning on the job this season.
Seven starts into the season, Ironwill is still green and keen in his races. That propensity can see him chuck in a stinker, but on the whole, Stuart Williams' handicapper has been consistent. He snatched a narrow victory at Newmarket during the July Festival and has gone close on his two most recent runs at Goodwood.
Ironwill was very keen and encountered traffic along the rail last time out, but kept on gamely to finish fourth behind Forty Years On, who heads the market for the Sceptre Stakes, and Fondo Blanco, who was narrowly beaten in Group Three company next time out. Sean Levey's mount remains on the same mark, while both the track and trip should suit. He's worth a punt at 11/1.
3:05pm Doncaster - Sceptre Stakes Tips
Forty Years On and Touleen top the betting for this Group Three. The favourites have 18 rivals to contend with in this competitive affair, and in the last 15 years, the average winning SP is 11/1, so I've got no real inclination to back one of the short-priced runners.
PLANET SEEKER (16/1) had some good rivals strung out behind her when Ralph Beckett's filly ran away with a competitive handicap on the July Course in July. Beckett's three-year-old then took on her elders in the Oak Tree Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, where she ran well to finish fourth despite hanging down the camber throughout the final two furlongs.
Planet Seeker didn't seem to handle the track that day, which was strange given that she had won her maiden at Goodwood last season. Rhys Clutterbuck's mount certainly has the quality to contend at this level, and she could go well at a decent price.
As could SILENCIOSA (40/1) for the in-form Tom Clover. This lightly raced filly took her chance in the 1000 Guineas earlier in the season, beating only four rivals home, but did run very well when second to the excellent Secret Of Life in the Coral Distaff at Sandown.
Clover's filly has to bounce back from a last-place effort in the Dick Hern Stakes, where Silenciosa pulled her way to the front before fading rapidly out of contention. The experienced Rab Havlin takes over in the saddle today, and if he can get this talented three-year-old to switch off early in the race, she could outrun her current odds.
3:40pm Doncaster - Mallard Handicap Tips
In contrast to the Sceptre Stakes, a very small field will contest this valuable handicap. Rab Havlin teamed up with John Gosden to win the Mallard in 2013, and that partnership is reprised with VALEDICTORY (10/3) on Sunday.
John and Thady Gosden's gelding won well at Goodwood earlier in the season before coming through traffic problems to land the Betway Trophy during the July Festival. Valedictory was then backed into 5/2 favouritism for the Summer Handicap at Glorious Goodwood, but found himself on the back foot straight away after a sluggish start and could only stay on into fifth place.
Again at the Ebor Festival, Valedictory was one of the slowest out of the stalls and did well to finish seventh behind Small Fry. Havlin's progressive mount remains on the same mark of 95, and a first-time visor goes on in an attempt to address those starting problems. If Valedictory can break on terms, I fancy he'll have too much class for this modest field.