Back Joseph’s Enceladus to beat Father’s Christmas
SATURDAY’s card from Doncaster features the final Classic of the British Flat season, the Group One Betfred St Leger (3.35pm).
Derby winner Christmas Day heads the market in a bid to give Aidan O’Brien a fourth St Leger win in as many years.
He holds clear claims stepping up to this trip for the first time, but with ground conditions set to dry out and having been beaten comprehensively at York last time, it might be wise to look elsewhere.
Aidan’s son, Joseph, may be the one that foils his father’s plot for another Doncaster Classic as he saddles the upwardly mobile ENCELADUS.
The son of Sea The Stars has won all three of his starts this season, landing a Cork maiden back in April before going on to win the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot and then successfully stepping up into Group Three company with a win in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood.
That was his best performance to date, showing he is still improving from run to run, and the way he hit the line strongly suggests that he should relish the extra two-and-a-half furlongs at Doncaster.
He should handle some cut in the ground too and looks a good bet at 9/4.
There’s four days of good quality racing from Doncaster this week, beginning on Thursday, and one horse that caught my eye on the opening day was Alan King’s SPYCE.
With the exceptionally dry summer we have had, this horse has been forced to run on quick ground when a softer surface would be preferable for him.
He was a winner on good-to-soft ground at Yarmouth last season, and should encounter similar conditions on Thursday when he lines up in the Pertemps Network Handicap (2.25pm).
Two good runs in Group Three company earlier in the season suggest he is a horse of some ability, and he travelled well at Ascot in the Golden Gates Stakes before weakening in the straight.
A wind operation since that run might help him, and now having dropped slightly in the handicap and with King’s horses in fine form, he is my idea of a good each-way bet at 10/1.
Saturday’s big betting race on Town Moor is the Portland Handicap (2.20pm).
APOLLO ONE is a horse that has unfinished business in this event over five-and-a-half furlongs, having finished a close-up second in the last two seasons.
Last year, he was beaten half-a-length by the well-handicapped Eternal Sunshine and the year before he went down by only a nose to subsequent Group One winner American Affair.
He has proven that this unique trip suits him well and he is comfortable on a variety of ground, so has to be of strong interest again, especially given he arrives here 12 pounds lower than last year.
At around the 10/1 mark, he is well worth an each-way play.
I’ve also got my eye on one on Sunday at Doncaster in the form of the Warren Greatrex-trained ALL IN YOU in the Mallard Handicap (3.40pm).
This horse is better known for his exploits as a hurdler but was quietly fancied in the Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting.
He was given a lot to do in that contest, and while he made some progress from the back of the field he could never get involved in the finish.
Dropping back in trip on slightly softer ground could see him in a better light, and this looks easier compared to his Ascot task, so 10/1 is a fair price.
POINTERS
Spyce e/w 2.25pm Doncaster (Thu)
Apollo One e/w 2.20pm Doncaster (Sat)
Enceladus 3.35pm Doncaster (Sat)
All In You e/w 3.40pm Doncaster (Sun)