THE 2023 St Leger is a cracker with Arrest, Continuous, Gregory and Desert Hero all very closely matched in the market in what is fascinating renewal. The softer conditions are certainly a key factor, with Frankie Dettori surprising many of us by instead of riding Gregory electing to choose Arrest, who much prefers a slower surface, as he showed when winning at Newbury on good to soft last month and back in May when victorious in heavy conditions in the Chester Vase. Desert Hero has every chance of giving the King and Queen a Royal winner on the back of two recent victories when showing his continuing progressive profile. Whilst Continuous with the style of his Great Voltigeur success has convinced me that he will give the Aidan O’ Brien team another Classic winner.

Earlier in the Champagne Stakes Rosallion Unibet 4/9 on for Unibet Ambassador Richard Hannon looks very hard to oppose after looking a potential start at Ascot in July when winning a Listed race by four lengths.

Enjoy whether at Doncaster or watching #athome on ITV Racing.

Cheers!

The Wine Tipster

2.25 Doncaster – Portland Handicap (5½f)

Call Me Ginger was awarded the Portland Handicap after the controversial disqualification of Chipstead last year and this time can win without his trainer resorting to an appeal. Call Me Ginger thrives at this time of year and his career form figures in September read 1110561127111, including his wins this month at Chester and Ascot respectively. At Chester he won from stall 6 and had to make his effort down the middle of the course, whilst at Ascot he challenged from the rear without initially having a clear passage through ahead of winning smoothly. This year Call Me Ginger runs off a lower mark of 87 versus his 2022 rating of 89, Amie Waugh once again claims five pounds and trainer Jim Goldie is operating at a 22% strike rate, which all bodes well for a strong performance.

Unibet 15/2 each way

Happy Romance for Unibet Ambassador Richard Hannon has the class to run a big race in the Portland Handicap, having won at Group 3 level and on her sole success this season in a Listed race at Bath over five furlongs, on her only appearance so far in 2023 in non-Group company. Happy Romance has run over five furlongs on her last three starts, including when outclassed in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June at Group 1 level on her last appearance, however, her inform trainer Richard Hannon certainly sounds confident about her chance on her first race in a handicap since August 2020. This is Happy Romance’s first run at Doncaster too, with ground conditions sure to suit and Alec Voikhansky claiming a valuable five pounds.

Unibet 11/1 each way

3.00 Doncaster – Park Stakes Group 2 (7f)

Spycatcher has been in excellent form with two wins and two seconds from five starts this season.

He won the Prix de Ris-Orangis at Deauville by three lengths from Batwan in July, which was a good marker and then just lost out on the line to King Gold in the Prix Maurice de Gheest Group 1 at the same course when making a valiant effort to regain the lead on heavy ground. Spycatcher was pulled out of the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock on account of the quick conditions and the soft ground will only add to the favourite’s chance, with rivals Audience and Sandrine preferring a faster surface.

Unibet 11/8

3.35 Doncaster – St Leger Stakes Group 1 (1m 6½f)

Continuous (nap) was so impressive when winning the Great Voltigeur at York under a canny ride by Ryan Moore when coming from off the pace to power clear of Castle Way and Gregory, who was nearly five lengths back in third. On his previous start at Royal Ascot Continuous was second to King Of Steel in the King Edward VII Stakes, which was a good performance, with Arrest back in fifth on admittedly quicker ground than he would prefer. Continuous looks sure to step up considerably from his Great Voltigeur success and you can be positive in the way he finished on the Knavesmire that he will get the St Leger trip.

Unibet 4/1

Middle Earth has been supplemented for the St Leger after his super impressive Melrose Stakes victory at the Ebor Festival with Denmark, who reopposes here in third. Previously Middle Earth had beaten Naqeeb at Newmarket, with the runner-up winning at Haydock last Saturday. Middle Earth is making rapid progress and whilst a mark of 102 leaves him well short of the protagonists he definitely has each way claims.

Unibet 17/2 each way

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