Frankie could win Doncaster Cup on Darley Sun ahead of the St Leger on Saturday
The day before the St Leger and the Doncaster Cup at 2.15 is the feature race over the marathon trip of 2 miles 2 furlongs. Plenty of trainers were talking up their chances on Thursday, although the amount of rain that falls or doesn’t will affect a few and perhaps none more than Michael Jarvis’s Opinion Poll. The trainer commented "He's been in good form since he ran at York. It's another two furlongs so we going slightly into the unknown but he has a very relaxed style of running, so we've every hope he'll get the extra two," said the Newmarket trainer. Any further ease in the ground will be to his favour. Up until the rain came earlier in the week he was a doubtful runner.”
Irish trainer Gordon Elliot knows how to win a big one, whether it is the Grand National or a decent flat purse and his runner Dirar will not mind if the sky stays shut. Although obviously progressive, this is a big step up from handicaps and I think he may just struggle to beat a field like this at this stage of his career.
Against the pair, I am going to take a chance on a return to form by DARLEY SUN, representing the operation that have the current St Leger favourite, Rewilding in their team. The stoutly-bred colt ran second in this race last year and went on to win the Cambridgeshire by an improbable 5-lengths. Rising trainer David Simcock was notably excited about the then 3-y-o’s prospects for this season but money talks and the horse moved to the ownership of Godolphin. It is fair to say the horse has been disappointing in three runs under the blue silks. Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor commented; “He is coming up against some good horses but I am hopeful that he can run well” which is a neither here nor there comment but the team are in good order, as is often the case at this time of year.
In the Flying Childers at 1.35, the favourite is Richard Hannon’s Zededee but the last two runnings of this have gone to a filly and the fast Irish-trained Meow may be tough to catch. After an excellent second at Royal Ascot on her third start, she was not seen for 2-months but returned with a win at The Curragh 3-weeks ago and although she had to work hard for that, her trainer David Wachman felt she needed the run, reporting yesterday “Johnny (Murtagh) said she had a good blow a furlong out. She's very quick and we'll know where we stand after tomorrow.” Those strongest in the market tend to do well in this race although those looking for a decent outsider could do worse than have a little on Cocktail Charlie each-way. Tim Easterby has his horses bang in form and this speedy colt could have plenty more to offer, although the prospect of Meow and Cocktail Charlie taking each other on from adjacent stalls is a definite worry. Black Moth could benefit from a breakneck pace and he could also be fancied each-way at 33/1.
The staying handicap at 2.05 is very open looking, with the market currently showing 8/1 the field. There are a couple I like at tasty odds and LADY ECLAIR is certainly one. This mare has had a tremndous season under the care of mark Johnston and just because she was beaten last time, she has gone from market darling to big outsider. History tells us that they bounce back quickly from this yard more often than not and although her new mark demands further progress, that is far from impossible. The other who could be over-priced is the 7-y-o Desert Sea. Just two starts back, the horse was running 3rd in the Northumberland Plate and on that run alone, he has 7 lb in hand of this mark. Has plenty of similar form, a good strike rate and Johnny Murtagh is taking over in the saddle. Lots to like overall and currently trading at 16/1.
In the May Hill Stakes at 3.15, it may be worth siding with MIDNIGHT CALLER against the Godolphin hotpot, White Moonstone. It is an interesting stat that the selection's dam won the May Hill and has already bred another winner of this race. John Gosden trains the filly and she has looked seriously good in terms of potential in her two runs so far. Proven over the mile and on soft ground so hopefully she can be too strong for White Moonstone.
Only an exceptional filly can win the St Leger and many eyes will be on Ed Dunlop’s Snow Fairy on Saturday. To my mind, she has enough to prove with stamina unproven and the possibly testing ground likely to play against her. In the saddle will be Eddie Ahern, as Ryan Moore is contracted to ride another and Ahern had this to say on At The Races; "It's great to get the ride. The way she won at the Curragh on soft ground you would think she could stay all day and she won't mind the ground at Doncaster," he said. They weren't sure she would get the mile and a half (in the Oaks). I just think she has some really good form on soft ground at the Curragh and I just wonder if the ground was soft would that affect Frankie's horse (Rewilding).”