Saturday horse racing tips: St Leger best bets and Doncaster preview

It’s St Leger day and our racing correspondent Jonathan Doidge brings us his horse racing tips for Doncaster’s Saturday card

(Nigel French/PA Wire)

Saturday Doncaster Tips

• Oxagon (Doncaster, 13.50) – 1pt win @ 2/1 (Ladbrokes)
• Jordan Electrics (Doncaster, 14.25) – 0.5pts each-way @ 11/1 (William Hill)
• Ten Bob Tony (Doncaster, 15.00) – 0.5pts each-way @ 9/2 (William Hill)
• Scandinavia (Doncaster, 15.40) – 2pts win @ 6/4 (Betfred)
• Fantasy Believer (Doncaster, 16.50) – 0.5pts each-way @ 10/1 (William Hill)

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The final British Classic of the season takes place on Saturday afternoon at Doncaster and I’ve got a strong fancy for the headline race, alongside four other best bets.

Betfred St Leger Stakes (Doncaster, 15.40)

Let’s start with the biggest race of this or any other season since 1776 at Doncaster, the Betfred St Leger which is the first race to be given the title of ‘Classic’. It’s the longest of the five such races on the UK calendar, though perhaps unfairly, now appears to be the lowest on the agenda for trainers when thinking of late-season targets.

This year’s field of seven might underline that theory but it is a race that Aidan O’Brien has supported well over the years, sending out the winner of four of the last eight renewals and he supplies three of the field this time, with Andrew Balding saddling two of the other quartet.

Unsurprisingly, O’Brien supplies the favourite on betting sites in Scandinavia, who has won three of his four starts this season, including a Group 1 success in the Goodwood Cup last time, when he saw off his stable companion and favourite, Illinois.

There’s surely more to come from him over trips that favour stamina and he looks a worthy favourite in the St Leger odds.

There’s been much debate about the Derby and how Lambourn won it but he did back that up in the Irish equivalent, without needing to be quite as good. Aidan O’Brien says he wants a strongly run 1m4f, so you’d think he’d get every yard of this longer trip and may be open to pulling a bit more.

However, there are reasons to take him based on his latest effort in York’s Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes, while there are absolute guarantees that they’ll go an honest gallop here either.

Carmers (second) and the third Ballydoyle representative, Stay True (fourth), finished ahead of Lambourn in the Great Voltigeur and O’Brien was particularly pleased with the run by his representative as a trial for this race. I’d expect to see a better effort this time.

Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes winner Furthur is another going the right way but, in truth, there doesn’t look to be huge value in the each-way prices on offer at most horse racing betting sites and we’ll stick with Scandinavia to prove too good for them.

St Leger tip: Scandinavia – 2pts win @ 6/4 (Betfred)

Betfred Champagne Stakes (Doncaster, 13.50)

Often a good pointer to what could go on to races such as the Royal Lodge and the Dewhurst, this is a Group 2 race in its own right. The horse with the best form going into it is undoubtedly Gewan, who won the Group 3 Acomb with authority at York last time and is a worthy market leader on the majority of betting apps.

He’s a shorter price than Oxagon on account, perhaps, of his proven ability in pattern company, but it’s the Gosden’s representative that really caught my eye when dotting up in a Sandown Park novice contest in July.

He did that from the front too so, not that you’d need to mark up an eight length success but it’s possible to do so. He holds entries in the Royal Lodge, the Dewhurst and the Futurity and he looked potentially very smart on that second effort and he can take this on the way, perhaps, to even better things.

Saturday racing tip 1: Oxagon (Doncaster, 13.50) – 1pt win @ 2/1 (Ladbrokes)

Betfred Portland Handicap (Doncaster, 14.25)

The Portland is Doncaster’s traditional cavalry charge at the St Leger meeting and it’s a cracking race to get stuck into as a bettor. They go 5/1 the field at the time of writing, with Air Force One occupying pole position in the market after showing improvement for each of his four starts with Geoff Oldroyd this season.

Cases can be made for a number of others in what is a maximum declared field of 22 runners two of which are saddled by Jim Goldie, who has won two of the last three runnings of this.

This time he saddles the hat-trick seeking Eternal Sunshine, who is on the upgrade and also the tried and tested Jordan Electrics, who I like the look of. Paul Mulrennan takes the mount on this prolific winner, who is now nine-years-old and has been a wonderful servant to connections.

He ran his best race of the campaign when beaten just a length in fifth at York last time, after which the handicapper has dropped him another 1lb. Ideally, he’d probably like it to dry up just a little but he has won on good to soft and he’s a tempting each-way play at 12/1 at the time of writing, given he’s got good form from higher marks.

Saturday racing tip 2: Jordan Electrics (Doncaster, 14.25) – 0.5pts each-way @ 11/1 (William Hill)

Betfred Park Stakes (Doncaster, 15.00)

This Group 2 contest has been priced up as last year’s champion two-year-old Shadow Of Light against the field. True enough, if the favourite on horse racing betting apps performs even close to his best then the opposition will have an unenviable task in trying to topple him.

However, he hasn’t managed that yet as a three-year-old, despite finishing a one length third in the 2,000 Guineas and a close fourth last time out in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville.

With plenty of respect for the market leader’s chance, at the prices, there looks to be a bit of value about Ten Bob Tony. Ed Walker’s four-year-old was gelded prior to winning his only start of the season, Haydock’s Group 3 John Of Gaunt Stakes back in May.

He has a good record when fresh, so the gap before this run will be a positive, if anything. He’s proven over this 7f trip and he also enjoys soft ground. He’s still open to a bit more improvement and he looks capable of going very close.

Saturday racing tip 3: Ten Bob Tony (Doncaster, 15.00) – 0.5pts each-way @ 9/2 (William Hill)

Mastiff Manor Handicap (Doncaster, 16.50)

Finally, in the St Leger day nightcap, a double-figure price about Fantasy Believer looks like an attractive proposition. Ed Walker’s charge is 2lb higher than his highest winning mark, so he’ll need to be close to his best to win this but trip and ground suit him, he had excuses last time over slightly further and he looks a very solid each-way play based on his first two runs of this campaign.

Saturday racing tip 4: Fantasy Believer (Doncaster, 16.50) – 0.5pts each-way @ 10/1 (William Hill)

St Leger Free Bet Offers

William Hill are offering a free bet as part of their package of St Leger Festival promotions.

Just opt in to the promotion and bet on any race at Doncaster at minimum odds of evens or greater. Bets placed on price boosts will not count as qualifying wagers.

Once the qualifying wager has been settled, William Hill will credit users with a free bet.

The value of the free bet will vary from customer to customer, so make sure to check the terms and conditions before opting in.

Gamble Responsibly

If you plan to have a bet on the football this week, make sure to gamble responsibly.

It’s vital that bettors take steps to remain in control of their time and budget when using gambling sites. The same applies whether you’re using the best betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium.

Even the most knowledgeable punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses.

It’s particularly important not to get carried away by any betting sign up offers or casino offers you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution.

You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs.

You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:

• NHS Help
• GamCare
• Gamblers Anonymous

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