The opening day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster lacks the quality of the remainder of the week and has been deemed not worthy of the attendance of Channel 4 cameras. It seems a strange bit of scheduling to start a classic meeting with a card that does not have a single Group race on the menu but I’m sure that the race planners have their reasons.
Once again, the weather is threatening to intervene with heavy downpours predicted for around midday. The going is reported to be good at the moment so I’d imagine it wouldn’t be worse than good to soft by the time they go to post for the 2.30.
The one I am interested in here is the Olly Stevens-trained filly Lightning Thunder. I’m a big fan of maiden races from Newbury and Newmarket and the daughter of Dutch Art beat a useful Hannon horse that had the benefit of a previous outing in Tea In Transvaal. That may not sound like top class form but it was the manner of her victory that impressed me.
She was held up in midfield before moving up smoothly on the near side and then quickening up to challenge the favourite. She ducked away slightly from the whip but she can be forgiven that on her racecourse debut and the trainer believes she could be a Group 1 filly. If all goes well at Doncaster, she may finish her season in either the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket or at Longchamp on Arc day in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
The trainer’s words suggest that nothing short of victory is expected tomorrow. He said: “From the first time we saw her at the sales she looked the part. It is too soon to aim her at Pattern company so she will run in a conditions race at Doncaster next week before looking to bigger pots. I would expect her to show definite improvement at Doncaster.”
Justice Day has the best form in the book having been beaten only 3 lengths in the Gimcrack last time whilst Expert represents the Hannon-Hughes combination. The grey by Mastercraftsman has had his limitations exposed in better company and may have to play second fiddle to Lightning Thunder.
With concerns about the state of the ground it is difficult to get too excited about the rest of the card. It will be interesting to see how Gatewood fares now that he is back in the care of John Gosden. His Australian campaign faltered after a rushed preparation to try to make the Melbourne Cup line up and he has been sent back to Newmarket in the hope of rekindling his enthusiasm. He may be a difficult horse to place now that he has exhausted handicap options so a watching brief is advised.
Lightning Thunder 5-2 (Ladbrokes)
