Day three of the St Leger Festival features the big one, with the Betfred St Leger taking place at 3.40pm. Matty Sutcliffe plumps for the outside of the septet, with three tips on the day in all.
Published: 2.18pm Thursday, 11th September (Odds correct at time of writing)
1:50 Doncaster – Betfred Champagne Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings) (Class 1) (2yo) – Wolf Of Badenoch 6/1 2pt WIN
This race often throws up a smart sort, such as Rosallion, Sunway, Chaldean, Silver Knott, Bayside Boy, State Of Rest, Chindits and Too Darn Hot, just to name a few. Typically, you want something who’s shown their hand in Listed/Group company, so Righthere Rightnow, Bay City Roller, Monumental and Aftermath may all have something to prove. Chancellor would also be off concern having won a novice last time out, and was put in his place in listed company on his penultimate run (though lost a shoe, and the form worked out).
Goodwood, particularly the Vintage Stakes, has been a good indicator in the past here including last year’s winner Iberian who was second in that contest, so along with that and the aforementioned, WOLF OF BADENOCH is the sole runner in this field who isn’t tarnished with those negatives. The son of Pinatubo was a cosy winner of a course and distance novice in a race that generally paid to race prominently, with those who raced in midfield/rear finishing 6th, 7th and 9th. The only other was Wolf Of Badenoch, who came from last to first in typical Spencer fashion.
He then went on to finish second in the Vintage Stakes to Aomori City, breaking slowly away in rear and shaping very much as if still needing experience. That said, when brought along the outside he picked up well after not necessarily handling the track either, confirming his ability to feature at this level. The return to this flatter, galloping track will suit and he should be given a strong toe in to the contest from Righthere Rightnow in stall three.
Join our 20k+ subscribers to receive the latest horse racing news, offers, and expert tips directly in your inbox — 100% free!
2:25 Doncaster – Betfred Portland (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Rumstar 16/1 1pt EW
There’s a big effort in RUMSTAR, who brings solid group form to the table. A G3 winner as a 2yo, he stepped up on that form last season when a two length fifth to Shaquille in the G1 Commonwealth Cup, before other good efforts in the G3 Hackwood Stakes and G3 Bengough Stakes.
His form has been inconsistent this term, though heavy ground won’t have suited at Bath on reappearance. After that, he posted career best RPR of 111 when second to the front running Lethal Levi in a 0-105 at Newbury, who’s now rated 11lbs higher. He blew on on firm ground when relatively well fancied for the Wokingham, but bounced back at Goodwood when faring well in the circumstances in 7th in the Stewards Cup. That race favoured those drawn to the nearside, with Rumstar travelling strongly in rear up the centre and had he tracked across to the nearside as opposed to the far side group, he may have finished a lot closer having been short of room throughout.
The form of that has worked out well with Ramazan beaten half a length by Dare To Hope in the Great St Wilfrid with Summerghand back in 4th, and both Lethal Levi and Glenfinnan have both come out and won well since. Rumstar wasn’t disgraced giving lumps of weight away in a Goodwood handicap next time out beaten three lengths from an unfavourable stall behind the progressive Sergeant Wilko, and a reproduction of both of those efforts would be good enough to see him run well here from a pound lower.
3:40 Doncaster – Betfred St Leger Stakes (Group 1) (No Geldings) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3yo) – Wild Waves 66/1 0.5pt EW
Andrew Balding had an outsider beaten a neck in this race in 2020 and while WILD WAVES has to step up massively on figures to go close here, it’s not out of the question that he can pick up some place money.
The son of ’17 St Leger 2nd Crystal Ocean showed promise over an inadequate 7f as a two year old, splitting now 111 and 112-rated rivals on debut. He put behind him a poor reappearance when drawing clear in a first time hood on handicap debut, giving 3lbs to a rival now rated 14lbs higher. He then stepped up to 1m6f to land a 0-100 handicap over C&D, travelling strongly throughout in rear and drawing a length clear from a subsequent winner now rated 9lbs higher. While that form is nowhere near good enough to win a St Leger, his effort in the Melrose offers some very slim hope that he could be good enough at this level. Andrew Balding has won the Melrose with both Valley Forge and Coltrane in recent seasons, with the latter going on to win multiple graded staying races.
Wild Waves was a bet for us in that contest, but fared no chance from his early track position. We saw throughout the week at York that those racing prominently and toward the far-side rail were strongly favoured, and that was the case for the first two home. The third, Master Builder, is now rated 10lbs higher having cosily won a 52K handicap at Haydock last weekend, which bodes well for the suggestion that Wild Waves has the ability to be a 100+ rated contender.
With both Jan Brueghel and Grosvenor Square in here, the pace will undoubtedly be a strong one and while it would be naive of me to think that Wild Waves has the ability at this stage to beat those and Illinois, should any of the protagonists falter, then this progressive C&D winner has every chance of sneaking into the placings late on. He’s clearly been saved for this as opposed to connections exploiting his handicap mark, which further bodes well for his chances.
Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.