Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Doncaster and Chester on Saturday. View selections below.
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GALILEO CHROME (3.35) has been a late springer in the Pertemps St Leger market and can create a bit of history for Joseph O’Brien in our oldest Classic at Doncaster.
O’Brien rode Leading Light to win the 2013 St Leger for dad Aidan and has quickly established himself as a grade one trainer. Galileo Chrome is unbeaten in three starts this season and the manner of his five lengths victory at Navan at the end of August convinced connections to head across the water to Town Moor.
There is usually no hiding place over the extended 1m 6f trip, so a stout stayer with a turn of foot is required. Hukum would continue the glorious run enjoyed by Hamdan Al Maktoum and Jim Crowley, and their colt fits the bill on the evidence of his latest Newbury success over 1m 5f, having earlier beaten Kipps and Subjectivist at Royal Ascot. Subjectivist has improved through the summer but Mark Johnston’s resolute galloper would have preferred soft ground.
Aidan O’Brien, bidding for a St Leger seven-timer, saddles three, with Irish Derby winner Santiago the pick. Classic success came only eight days after his Royal Ascot romp in the Queen’s Vase and Santiago looked as good as ever when third to Stradivarius and Nayef Road in the Goodwood Cup.
Pyledriver won the King Edward VII Stakes at the royal fixture and following a no-show in the Investec Derby, bounced back to form in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, whipping Highland Chief and Mogul.
Hamdan Al Maktoum is doubly represented in the bet365 Champagne Stakes by ALBASHEER (1.50) and Mujbar. Both colts won impressively on debut, Albasheer by six lengths over course and distance in July, while Mujbar pulled seven lengths clear at Newmarket (soft) last month. Chindit, another course and distance winner, defends his unbeaten record after landing a Listed event at Ascot last time.
Eight runners are declared for the bet365 Park Stakes, a Group 2 contest over seven furlongs, and LIMATO (3.00) bids to roll back the years after bagging this prize as a three-year-old in 2015.
He looked as good as ever when scooting clear in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket at the end of June. Molatham edged out Witchita in the Flying Scotsman Stakes at this meeting 12 months ago and the pair lock horns again. One Master, another seven furlongs specialist, commands plenty of respect in a fascinating encounter.
At Chester, the drying ground will play to the strengths of UNIVERSAL ORDER (2.05) in the 1m 4f Listed contest.
He stuttered out of the stalls at York and was always playing catch-up behind Eagles By Day, but had earlier edged out El Misk and Pablo Escobarr in a thriller at Newmarket (good to firm). Morando acts well on the Roodee, running out an eight lengths winner over Kew Gardens in the 2019 Ormonde Stakes on soft. Alignak was half a length in front of Morando last time at Newbury in a hot event won by today’s St Leger aspirant Hukum. Hereby also goes well here but would prefer it softer.
PREJUDICE (2.40) has been runner-up in two hot handicaps since returning to action and can go one better for David Simcock.
Maydanny was so impressive when scoring at Glorious Goodwood that it was surprising to see him fold so quickly when headed at York next time off a much higher mark. Maydanny may be able to dominate for longer in this smaller field but last month’s course and distance winner Lawn Ranger also likes to force the pace. Runner-up Strait Of Hormuz gave Lawn Ranger’s form line a boost when scoring at Doncaster on Wednesday. Be More is another course and distance winner (soft).
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Tally Ho
Alan
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