Our form expert has bets at the Irish Champions Festival at the Curragh and on the final day of Doncaster's St Leger meeting on Sunday.
The Verdict: Sunday September 14
1pt win Pietro in 2.30 Doncaster at 12/1 (General)
1pt win Two Stars in 3.15 Curragh at 9/1 (bet365, 8/1 Ladbrokes, William Hill)
Stars align for Stack speedster
The wide-open sprint division at the top level has been a point of discussion for most of the Flat season but Asfoora could win her second Group 1 win of the campaign in the Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday (3.15).
Henry Dwyer’s admirable mare won the Nunthorpe in good style last time out and she becomes Australia’s first ever runner in Ireland on the second day of the Irish Champions Festival.
There’s a problem, though, and that’s the absence of Oisin Murphy who is riding at Longchamp, and given there isn’t a fit jockey riding in the same league as him at present it has to be a negative that he’s not on board.
Added to that there’s plenty of rain forecast, so the ground could be soft enough for her come the Flying Five and for all that she’s won on soft ground in Australia I suspect the Curragh’s likely surface might be alien to her.
As far as I’m concerned that makes this another Group 1 sprint that is up for grabs and Fozzy Stack’s TWO STARS could be the one to benefit this time.
The son of Starspangledbanner looked a rapid improver in the spring when winning a Curragh handicap in soft ground in the style of a pattern performer and he followed it up with a stylish Listed win at Naas.
It’s no surprise he missed the heart of the summer as soft conditions look an absolute prerequisite for him but he looks quick over a testing five and the weather looks very much in his favour.
Romantic Proposal, Highfield Princess and Bradsell have all stormed up the near-side rail to win this race in recent years and from stall 12 Two Stars is berthed that way to launch a similar attack.
Given he goes really well fresh and loves the track he has plenty in his favour against a bunch of sprinters that have been tearing strips off each other all summer.
The Verdict: Back TWO STARS in the 3.15 Curragh
Pietro looks primed for Town Moor
At Doncaster the St Leger Festival concludes and there are loads of big-field handicaps to have a go at on a tricky-looking card.
One bet that appeals in one of those races is James Fanshawe’s PIETRO in the Betfred City Of Doncaster Handicap over seven furlongs at 2.30, as he has significantly improved on his last couple of starts.
That could be after gaining experience and having been gelded in the off-season, but I also think he has enjoyed the tempo of big-field races over both six and seven furlongs on his last two runs.
They were both run at sound gallops and that scenario looks highly likely again in this 19-runner field with early pace spread across the track.
Saffie Osborne is a good rider to have on your side in this type of race on a straight track as she times her challenges well, as she’s shown on the Ascot straight course on plenty of occasions, and I reckon she might have a willing partner here in Pietro.
The Verdict: Back PIETRO in the 2.30 Doncaster
Preview posted at 1615 BST on 13/09/25
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