Sumo Sam, Golden Lyra and Boogie Woogie feature in Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster on Thursday as Betfred St Leger Festival gets under way, all live on Sky Sports Racing; Darnation the one to beat in May Hill Stakes; Aidan O'Brien's Johannes Brahms seeks £300,000 prize
Tuesday 12 September 2023 17:52, UK
The Betfred St Leger Festival at Doncaster begins in great style on Thursday with the Group Two Park Hill Stakes and May Hill Stakes, all live on Sky Sports Racing.
A quality field of 10 gathers for a typically competitive renewal of the Group Two Betfred Park Hill Fillies' Stakes (3.35).
Paul and Oliver Cole's Sumo Sam will likely head the market having won by a staggering eight-and-a-half lengths when claiming the Group Two Lillie Langtry at Goodwood last month, and Rossa Ryan takes over from Tom Marquand.
William Haggas fields two runners headlined by Golden Lyra, the choice of Marquand. The four-year-old daughter of Lope De Vega finished a credible fourth in this grade at Deauville on her last start and the extra distance is expected to suit. Three-year-old Crack Of Light will need to improve on her recent efforts as she steps up in trip.
Aidan O'Brien is yet to win this contest and relies on Boogie Woogie with Ryan Moore in the plate.
John and Thady Gosden claimed this last year with Mimikyu and have two chances here with One Evening (William Buick) and Lmay (Kieran Shoemark).
Nine are in contention for a cracking Betfred May Hill Stakes (3.00), headlined by Karl Burke's Darnation who ran out an impressive winner of the Group Three Prestiges Fillies Stakes at Goodwood on her last outing.
William Haggas' Hard To Resist was in behind Darnation last time and the pair have each been handed a plum draw in stall two and three, respectively.
The Ollie Sangster-trained Romanova, under champion jockey Buick, is another to consider having created a favourable impression when landing a Salisbury maiden on her second start.
Hala Abrar (Gay Kelleway), Meribella (Ralph Beckett) and See The Fire (Andrew Balding) are all unbeaten from their sole start.
The Weatherbys Scientific 300,000 2-Y-O Stakes (2.25) always attracts a large field with 18 runners seeking this hugely valuable prize.
Aidan O'Brien's Johannes Brahms may well set the standard having found just one too good in both the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Gimcrack Stakes at York.
Clive Cox's Dragon Leader arrives unbeaten having won all three starts to date including when trouncing a big field in the Goffs UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling Stakes at York and William Buick takes over in the plate.
Dominic Ffrench Davis and Amo Racing combine with Komat, who would have each-way claims based on her recent mid-field Group races efforts.
