Connections of Night In Vegas celebrate a lucrative win at Doncaster
Connections of Night In Vegas celebrate a lucrative win at Doncaster

Doncaster Thursday review, replays and reaction


A round-up of the pick of the rest of the action on the opening afternoon of the Betfred St Leger Festival at Doncaster.

Vegas provides touch of class

Night In Vegas (5/6 favourite) won the Weatherbys 300,000 2-Y-O Stakes for trainer Eve Johnson Houghton and owners Kennet Valley Syndicates VI.

The colt was ridden to victory by Charlie Bishop and the pair denied Satellite Of Love (11/1) to justify odds-on favouritism for the Kennet Valley Syndicate.

The eventual second, trained by Clive Cox, had kicked a couple lengths clear under Rossa Ryan, but when Bishop asked his mount to make his challenge, he made strong progress to hit the front with around 100 yards to go.

Night In Vegas ended up scoring a shade cosily by half a lenmgth to add another big pot to his name, having won the 200,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes just 19 days ago at Newmarket.

Dorigo (11/1) broke sharply and set out in front and stuck to his task well to finish third under Kevin Stott but ultimately finished over three lengths behind the first two.

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Night In Vegas (left) gets the better of Satellite Of Love
Night In Vegas (left) gets the better of Satellite Of Love


Speed to burn

The well-backed Speed Of Sound got the St Leger Festival off to a cracking start for jockey Saffie Osborne, trainer Richard Spencer and owner Phil Cunningham.

Osborne, who has been booked to ride Highwayman for Joseph O'Brien in Saturday's Betfred St Leger, took the British Stallion Studs 'Carrie Red' EBF Fillies' Nursery by the scruff of the neck from the outset, sending 7/4 favourite Speed Of Sound straight to the front.

Speed of Sound wins at Doncaster
Speed of Sound wins at Doncaster

The daughter of Sioux Nation picked up the tempo from halfway and soon had her rivals in trouble, Angel In My Heart (18/1) the one to emerge from the pack as a potential threat entering the final furlong, but the leader had plenty left in the tank and went on to score by a length and three-quarters, with 9/1 shot Bymiddaytomorrow a further two and a half lengths back in third.

Osborne said on ITV: "Hopefully the week continues that way!

"She's a lovely filly, very strong and robust and she knows her job well. I didn't ideally want to make the running but I thought I'd use that to my advantage, knowing how straightforward she is. It was like doing a solo bit of work really."

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Cunningham said: "It was very impressive, she was meant to get a bit of cover. I think there’s quite a strong headwind so I think it could turn out to be a better performance that it even looked.

"You’re just concentrating on what’s coming behind and then fortunately for us, I looked behind, and I thought she was still travelling better than anything else. It’s amazing when you’re four clear with a furlong to go like that."

Raise a glass to Moore

Ryan Moore was seen to best effect when steering 7/1 chance Bourbon Blues to victory in the Pertemps Network Handicap for in-form trainer Brian Meehan.

The three-year-old top-weight made his challenge on the wide outside as others scrambled for running room towards the far side rail and got up by a head from 2/1 favourite Knights Charge. Wild Thoughts finished back in third at 20/1.

Bourbon Blues (purple and white silks) wins at Doncaster
Bourbon Blues (purple and white silks) wins at Doncaster

Paddy Power and Sky Bet clipped the winner to 20/1 from 33s for the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket.

Moore said: "He bobbled out of the gates and ended up a long way back, but we went steady early and it ended up a sprint. He’s quickened up really well.

“He hasn’t won very often but he’s been running in a lot of good races and probably deserved this win."

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