Our form expert casts his eye over day one of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster on Thursday and he has three selections.
The Verdict: Thursday September 11
1pt e.w Concert in 1.15 Doncaster at 14/1 (William Hill 1/4 1,2,3,4)
1pt win Aylin in 2.25 Doncaster at 7/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, bet365)
1pt win Secret Of Love in 3.00 Doncaster at 16/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
Another May day for Burke
Day one of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster and the fillies take centre stage with a couple of Group Twos headlining a card which will likely be run on softer ground than the currently advertised conditions judging by the rain going Doncaster’s way.
It’s a big day for Sir Mark Prescott who runs three with big chances and his Moon Target is the clear favourite in the Group 2 Betfred May Hill Stakes over the straight mile at 2.25.
The daughter of Cracksman won a couple of novice races easily before stepping up in grade last time into the Group 3 Virgin Bet Prestige Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood where she was off the bridle early before staying on into second.
Perhaps she didn’t handle the track so well and Doncaster’s galloping terrain will likely suit her better, but I don’t mind betting that Karl Burke’s AYLIN will reverse that form and she looks the bet in the race at 7/1.
A 600,000 guineas Tatts October Book 2 Amo Racing/Al Shaqab joint venture, this daughter of St Mark’s Basilica (made a very nice start with his two-year-olds) has impressed on each racecourse start and she might have too much zip for Moon Target in this scenario.
She certainly travelled the better of the two fillies in the Prestige last time, before she got caught in a pocket and Moon Target’s momentum took her into second down the outside while Aylin ran on for a tenderly-handled third.
On her previous start Aylin coped with horrible conditions at Goodwood well and while Timeform recorded the ground as ‘Good to Soft’ rather than the official ‘Heavy’ it was still evidence that she likes a bit of cut in what looked tough enough circumstances for juveniles.
I certainly don’t think she’ll mind either the ground easing or the step up in trip to a mile as Burke sends her on the tried and tested Prestige to May Hill pathway that he successfully navigated Darnation down two seasons ago.
Stall one should allow David Egan to drop her in and get cover with a few more likely forward-going types drawn to her right and if he gets her racing in their slipstream she could come home best of all.
The Verdict: Back AYLIN in the 2.25 Doncaster
Secret’s out in the Park Hill
Both Prescott (Consent) and Cracksman (Danielle) are represented in the Group 2 Betfred Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes but it’s Andrew Balding’s SECRET OF LOVE that looks underestimated here at 16/1.
Three-year-old fillies have dominated this race in recent years winning five of the last five and this year’s bunch of older fillies might struggle to concede the 9lb weight-for-age as well.
Secret Of Love looks underestimated on the back of hardly being seen, her length defeat by Minnie Hauk at Chester in May her last run in England as she has raced at Chantilly and Hamilton subsequently.
Less than two lengths covered the field at Hamilton in the Glasgow Stakes on her latest start and while the form has mixed messages the runner-up Arabian Force came out and ran a big race in the Great Voltigeur after that where he looked an unlucky loser.
I thought Secret Of Love ran a big race of her own off a slow pace against the boys in Scotland and she'll be suited by returning here against her own sex stepping up in trip on the likely softest ground she’s run on all year.
The daughter of Sea The Moon handles soft ground well and the absolute key to her is getting her settled so she can see the trip out on her first go at 1m6f.
That’s an unknown, but her sister was a 1m6f winner and Oisin Murphy returns to the saddle, so she’s got both the pedigree and the best in the business on board, while owner Kirsten Rausing won this race with 25/1 outsider Alyssa back in 2017.
The Verdict: Back SECRET OF LOVE in the 3.00 Doncaster
Concert pitch for Haggas
Finally, CONCERT can improve now she tackles handicap company for the first time in the British Stallion Studs ‘Carrie Red’ EBF Fillies’ Nursery Handicap.
William Haggas also has the second favourite here in Gwen John but that might only have inflated the price of Concert a little and it’s the second string that can improve significantly on softer conditions.
The grey daughter of Showcasing has a knee action that suggests she’ll like a bit of cut and her best form was her first run at Newbury which is a similar track to Doncaster.
She’s related to Code Red and End Of Line who both won two-year-old races on soft ground at this track and with that in mind I think there’s a chance she will love the combination of the likely conditions and Town Moor.
Last time at Chester I don’t think she handled the track well against better fillies but I think we’ll see a big improvement at a more suitable course in a race her owners Highclere won with Chic Columbine two years ago.
The Verdict: Back CONCERT in the 1.15 Doncaster
Preview posted at 1515 BST on 10/09/25
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