Our form expert struck on day one of the St Leger Festival with 7/1 advised winner Aylin and he has two selections for day two on Friday at Doncaster.
The Verdict: Friday September 12
1pt win Frescobaldi in 1.50 Doncaster at 5/1 (General)
1pt e.w. Kitty Furnival in 3.40 Doncaster at 14/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4)
1pt win Military Code in 2.25 Doncaster at 6/1 (Non Runner)
Kitty to purr for the Crisfords
Simon & Ed Crisford’s KITTY FURNIVAL can go well in the British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap over 1m4f at 3.40 on the second day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster on Friday.
Crisford has a brilliant record at the Leger meeting, winning eight races from 20 runners at 40% including when he trained just in his own name, and this daughter of Zarak looks underestimated.
Lightly-raced on turf after just four starts on grass, she won on the Lingfield turf in June when displaying a cracking attitude and she’s only 2lb higher here.
She bounced back from a rare below-par run last time at Southwell when doing well to close in for third from the rear in a Racing League handicap where the pace held up well, good evidence she’s back in fine form.
Jack Callan takes off 5lb to help her further from a handicapping point of view and she looks worthy of each-way support getting the four places.
The Verdict: Back KITTY FURNIVAL in the 3.40 Doncaster
Feeling Fresco in the Flying Scotsman
Aidan O’Brien is well represented on day two at Doncaster with a quartet of runners and I do like the look of his FRESCOBALDI in the Listed Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes.
The son of No Nay Never looked a picture at York and he defied greenness to win what looked another strong renewal of the Convivial Maiden, a race that almost always throws up a good horse or two.
Most Convivial winners seem to take the inevitable step up in grade well and Frescobaldi, a horse with a couple of Group 1 entries, looks well ready for a crack at Listed level.
O’Brien’s last Convivial winner, Battle Cry, came to this race on his next start and though he was too keen in softer ground that day he still proved himself a colt on the up at the time and I’d be surprised if Frescobaldi doesn’t improve again.
This could go perfectly for him if he’s ridden prominently by Christophe Soumillon in the slipstream of market rival Catullus, and while he will likely want a bit further in time his stamina could well come to the fore over seven furlongs on Friday.
The Verdict: Back FRESCOBALDI in the 1.50 Doncaster
Code can crack the Flying Childers (Non Runner)
Charlie Appleby has been fairly quiet at the big meetings in recent months, returning no winners from Goodwood or York, but he nearly always targets the St Leger Festival at Doncaster and he could have a good day on Town Moor on Friday.
He runs a quartet of nice two-year-olds on the card including MILITARY CODE (Non Runner) in the Group 2 Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes and he looks in a good position to reverse recent form with both Lady Iman and Revival Power.
The son of Wootton Bassett was one of Appleby’s few runners at both Goodwood and York, but his run at the former track in the Molecomb is easily forgiven as he raced well away from the main action on the near side and he’s already bounced back from that below-par run when second in the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes at York.
The way he pulled away from the Molecomb third Dickensian is a likely fairer reflection of his ability compared to Lady Iman than the Goodwood form itself, while Revival Power only edged him a head on a speed track that very much played to her strengths on the day.
Military Code gets a 2lb pull with Revival Power here and Doncaster is expected to swing things in his favour, his excellent run and strong finishing effort at York a clear indication that he’s progressing well with experience.
Aidan O’Brien’s likely favourite Mission Central is interesting enough, but he is dropping back from six furlongs here and Military Code might just have the gears to beat him.
The Verdict: Back MILITARY CODE in the 2.25 Doncaster
Preview posted at 1600 BST on 11/09/25
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