The feature race on the second day of the Doncaster St Leger meeting is the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes at 2.40.
There aren’t many races in the calendar for fillies over the St Leger trip and if ever a horse was crying out for this distance it must surely be Arabian Comet. She has run on determinedly in her last three races, winning at Ascot before coming agonisingly close at Goodwood and York. The daughter of Dubawi looks certain to be in the frame, especially with several of her market rivals being out of form.
Venus De Milo ran no sort of race at York last time and cannot be supported with any confidence while Seal Of Approval really needs more rain if she is to take her chance. Criteria and Silk Sari are decent fillies but I fancy Arabian Comet to gain a deserved Group 2 success.
This could be a huge day for her trainer, William Haggas. He starts with the well-fancied Gregoria in the nursery at 1.40. She raced keenly in front last time before finishing third and has to reverse the form with Mick Channon’s Persun. I believe she can do that but a bigger threat may be Secret Spirit who meets Feeling Easy on a stone better terms for a narrow defeat at Newbury earlier in the season.
Haggas then saddles Token Of Love in the Sceptre Stakes and she is clearly going the right way. I’m not sure how she managed to get beaten in handicaps at Newbury and Sandown but she was a good winner at Haydock in Listed company last time. J Wonder did us a favour when wining under a superb ride from Jimmy Fortune at Goodwood but the one to be on here could be Sir Michael Stoute’s Bragging who destroyed a big field of handicappers at York.
The next Haggas runner is Heartbreak Hero in the £300,000 sales race at 3.15. I am not sure that he has the pace for this race. The Great War represents Aidan O’Brien on a relatively quiet day for Ballydoyle and he should also go well in a wide open race.
Haggas is still not done as he saddles Ascot winner Mange All (3.45) and Flippant (4.25). I think both have definite chances but I am going to oppose them with John Gosden’s Long Cross and Luca Cumani’s Blue Waltz. Both are coming here after winning maiden races but have the potential to go on to better things.
Gregoria 1.40 @15-2 Paddy Power
Secret Spirit 1.40 @18-1 BetVictor (each-way)
Bragging 2.10 @11-4 William Hill
Arabian Comet 2.40 @4-1 Bet365
The Great War 3.15 @7-1 William Hill
Long Cross 3.45 @3-1 Bet365
Blue Waltz 4.25 @3-1 Bet365
