Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Doncaster and Chester on Saturday. View selections below.
EXCESS KNOWLEDGE (3.50) can provide master St Leger trainer John Gosden with another victory in the Ladbrokes-sponsored Classic at Doncaster.
Gosden has saddled three of the last six St Leger heroes (Masked Marvel, Arctic Cosmos, Lucarno) and Excess Knowledge boasts the credentials to further bolster that roll of honour. Racing’s fates were against him in the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, with the colt denied daylight at critical stages. Excess Knowledge showed fine pace when eventually pulled wide, failing by a head to catch Cap O’Rushes, and can provide new partner James Doyle with a notable scalp so early in the jockey’s association with owner Khalid Abdullah. Excess Knowledge previously ran a cracker against talented older horses Mandour and Afsare in a Listed race at Sandown and, having had only five career starts, is open to more improvement over this longer trip.
Irish colt Galileo Rock is feared having recorded placed efforts in the English and Irish Derbys, while Aidan O’Brien loves to target the final British Classic of the season. Son Joseph rides Leading Light, bidding for five straight victories, with Ryan Moore booked for less exposed stablemate Foundry.
Luca Cumani isn’t represented in the St Leger but his one-time Classic hopeful Greatwood drops into a handicap under Kieren Fallon after flopping in the Dante at York and, again, at Royal Ascot. Greatwood could well hose up but the recommendation is an each-way punt on CHARLES CAMION (4.25) at a much juicer price. The five-year-old weaved his way through some traffic problems to win at Ascot, then saw far too much daylight down the straight at York last time.
The thrilling success of LEVITATE (6.05) in the William Hill Lincoln in March is a fading memory but John Quinn has raced him sparingly since on the unsuitably fast summer ground. Back over course and distance here, Levitate can surprise probable favourite Ascription, now 15lb higher than when hacking up in a Glorious Goodwood handicap but likely to make a bold show on the back of another fine effort at Haydock.
At Chester, trainer Roger Varian can continue his hot streak courtesy of hat-trick seeking CAMERON HIGHLAND (2.55). After scooting eight lengths clear at Epsom, Cameron Highland then dished out a three-length thumping to Shirocco Star at Windsor. The colt appears to like these turning tracks.
GABRIAL THE MASTER (5.15) can provide Merseyside owner Dr Marwan Koukash with another local success in the 1m 7f handicap. His three-year-old rallied commendably to hunt up Lemon Pearl over a two-furlong shorter trip here four weeks ago.
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Alan
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