NEW LONDON can win the Cazoo St Leger Stakes (No Geldings) (British Champions Series) (3.55pm) at Doncaster on Sunday afternoon.
With all the action in the UK off on Saturday due to the death of Her Majesty The Queen – one of racing’s greatest supporters – the final Classic of the season has been moved back 24 hours with a bumper nine-race card on Town Moor.
And although the Godolphon colt, New London, is a very short favourite, he looks sure to provide connections with a second successive victory in the oldest Classic on Town Moor. He will be very hard to beat under Liverpool FC fan William Buick.
The Charlie Appleby-trained son of Dubawi has only lost once in his five career starts at Chester, when he was clearly unsuited by the unique demands of the Roodee and the soft going when going down by six-and-a-half-lengths from Aidan O’Brien’s Changingoftheguard, who subsequently went on to win the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
New London bypassed the Royal meeting, but comfortably returned to winning ways in a 1m2f handicap at the Newmarket July meeting.
He built on that and delivered on his undoubted promise with victory in the Group Three John Pearce Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood at the end or July.
That race has been stepping stone for some past St Leger winners or those who have gone close to victory. Conduit won both races in 2008 and Crystal Ocean was second in the Leger in 2017 having won in Berkshire.
It will be the first time New London has race over this 1m6f trip and although there is no guarantee he will stay, he has shaped as though it will bring out more improvement in him. And he was very strong at the line at Goodwood, suggesting this extra distance should be well within his compass.
He probably isn’t a real betting proposition but he looks the most likely winner.
O’Brien’s Dubawi filly Emily Dickinson – fourth in the Irish Oaks and third in a Group Two contest at Goodwood – at biggish odds may be the best each-way option to the favourite.
Kevin Ryan’s BERGERAC can bring up a hat-trick of wins in the Coral Portland Handicap (2.10pm).
The four-year-old landed a first win in almost a year in a three-runner event over six-furlongs at Newmarket last month before following up with an ever better victory over the minimum distance in prestitigious handicap at York’s Ebor meeting a couple fo weeks later.
The gelded son of Kodi Bear made much of the running that day and just held on from King Of Stars.
He still remains open to more improvement, has what could be a decent high draw in 22 and looks the just the type of in-form sprinter who has done well in this event down the years.
As ever with these heritage handicaps there are plenty of dangers with Martin Smith’s course and distance winner Atalanta’s Boy ; the Roger Teal-trained duo Whenthedealinsdone and Chipstead ; and Night On Earth from the Ian Williams’ stable among them.
Ralph Beckett’s KINROSS can also follow-up his recent win at York with another victory in the Group Two Cazoo Park Stakes (3.20pm).
The five-year-old, who will again be ridden by Frankie Dettori, is a real seven-furlong specialist having won Group contests at Haydock Park and Glorious Goodwood last season.
After finishing second in his bid for another victory in the Group Two Lennox Stakes back at Goodwood at the end of July, he was back to winning ways on the Knavesmire. He can follow up on Town Moor.
Godolphin trainer Appleby and jockey Buick may get a pre-St Leger boost with SILVER KNOTT in the Group Two Coral Champagne Stakes (Colts & Geldings) (12.30pm).
The Lope De Vega colt has won two of his three starts and can follow-up a recent Group Three win at Sandown with another at Group Two level.
John Quinn’s EMPIRESTATEOFMIND can win the P J Towey Construction Handicap (4.30pm).
The four-year-old has been in good form recently winning one and finishing second on two of his last three starts.
He won at Thirsk on his penultimate start and may be able to go in again at Doncaster.
Some races that were due to be run today, have been moved to Sunday as well and in one of them the Julie Camacho-trained RAATEA can win the Cazoo Handicap (1pm).
The five-year-old won on the all-weather at Newcastle in June, but disappointed at Glorious Goodwood.
He didn’t have an ideal passage as can happen a the Sussex venue and one a more conventional track can show his true ability.
Raatea was second in this race last year and off just a 4lb higher mark he can go very close again.
TRUESHAN should be too good for his rivals in the Group Two Coral Doncaster Cup Stakes (British Champions Series) (2.45pm) – another contest that was due to be run today.
Alan King’s six-year-old is at his best on a softer surface and he should get some juice in the ground at least – even if it isn’t very testing.
But last season he won the Goodwood Cup, the Qatar Prix du Cadran and the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot. This time he started with a win at Nottingham, before a fine weight-carrying success in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle. He ran a fine race in third behind Kyprios and Stradivarius in this year’s Goodwood Cup and he will be another short-priced favourite who will be hard to beat.
Others who can win on Town Moor on Sunday are the Dylan Cunha-trianed MOLIWOOD in the Coral Mallard Handicap (5.05pm); and Richard Fahey’s THE PLATINUM QUEEN in the Group Two Coral Flying Childers Stakes (1.35pm).
Over in Ireland there is top-class action at Leopardstown on Saturday. And O’Brien’s LUXEMBOURG – third in the 2,000 Guineas before injury struck – can follow-up his recent winning return in the Group One Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (3.45pm).
O’Brien should also land Classic glory at the Curragh on Sunday when Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup hero KYPRIOS drops back in trip for the Group One Comer Group International Irish St Leger (4.10pm).
Wright Ones
DONCASTER (SUNDAY)
12.30pm Silver Knott
1pm Raatea
1.35pm The Platinum Queen
2.10pm Bergerac
2.20pm Trueshan
3.20pm Kinross
3.55pm New London
4.30pm Empirestateofmind
5.05pm Moliwood (NAP)
LEOPARDSTOWN (SATURDAY)
3.10pm Bluegrass
3.45pm Luxembourg (NAP)
4.20pm Jadoomi
4.55pm Saffron Beach
CURRAGH (SUNDAY)
2.25pm Raasel
3pm Meditate
3.35pm Aesop’s Fables
4.10pm Kyprios
