3 minute read
New London can give Charlie Appleby and William Buick back-to-back Cazoo St Leger victories a day later than expected at Doncaster.
While the death of the Queen saw the cancellation of Saturday's action, the main event was saved as the centrepiece of what is now a bumper nine-race card on Town Moor.
New London is the red-hot favourite to land the season's final Classic following successive summer wins and it is not difficult to see why.
The colt has been beaten just once in five starts, on deep ground in the Chester Vase, but has otherwise been flawless in his Classic prep.
He triumphed in a backend maiden last October and was clearly a horse of potential as he won in real style on his return at Newmarket, only to then disappoint at Chester.
Given his first victory was on soft ground, it may not have been conditions that scuppered him on the Roodee, with the tight track really not playing to his strengths and he duly showed that was a minor blip when returning with a Newmarket handicap victory.
Success in the Gordon Stakes followed, with the form from that working out exceptionally well, and although New London is yet to try 14 furlongs, he counts 2011 Leger victor Masked Marvel amongst his relations on his dam's side and he certainly was not stopping at Goodwood.
Appleby may suffer a rare juvenile reverse as Chaldean could have the measure of Silver Knott in the Coral Champagne Stakes.
The Godolphin handler has any amount of classy two-year-olds and Silver Knott certainly impressed in the Solario at Sandown, but Chaldean looked every bit as good in winning the Acomb at York, despite having taken a keen early hold.
The pair are level on official ratings and it will be a fascinating battle, with the only other runner Indestructible not out of it either, but Chaldean is seemingly improving with every run and can make another leap.
Chaldean's rider Frankie Dettori can make it a Group Two double as Kinross is the pick in the Cazoo Park Stakes.
He sidestepped last week's Sprint Cup on account of the very quick ground but this seven-furlong trip really does appear to be his forte, as he showed when landing the competitive City of York Stakes at the Ebor meeting.
Versatile in terms of ground, Kinross can be relied upon to put up a good show.
It is day two of Irish Champions Weekend at the Curragh and another feast of racing awaits.
Kyprios is the obvious star of the show as he tries to extend his unbeaten run to five in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger.
Aidan O'Brien's charge has really come of age this term, with the switch up to staying trips proving the making of him as he made light work of Listed and Group Three rivals before landing the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
He had Stradivarius back in third that day and while the staying great narrowed the gap in the Goodwood Cup, Kyprios was still good enough and it will be a huge surprise if he were to be defeated here.
At the other end of the scale, it is all about pace in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes and Highfield Princess can continue her super summer for John Quinn.
The five-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the last couple of years, famously progressing from a starting mark of 57 to her current rating of 120, via two Group One victories.
It was some performance to win the Prix Maurice de Gheest, beating subsequent Sprint Cup hero Minzaal, before turning out just 12 days later to land the Nunthorpe at York.
The ease with which she assumed control on the Knavesmire was impressive, particularly as she was dropping back to five furlongs having previously done all her winning at six and seven furlongs.
Highfield Princess is clearly in the form of her life and while this is another tough test, the Yorkshire raider can rise to the challenge.
Meditate is another filly in red-hot form and she must be the pick of O'Brien's runners in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, while the Charlie Fellowes-trained Marbaan is worth a shout in the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes after his Vintage Stakes victory at Goodwood.
SELECTIONS:
CHEPSTOW: 1.25 Nacho, 2.00 Commission, 2.35 Ischia, 3.10 Wade's Magic, 3.40 Connie's Rose, 4.20 Moondial, 4.55 Danny Bleu.
CURRAGH: 1.15 Big Gossey, 1.50 Above The Curve, 2.25 Highfield Princess, 3.00 Meditate, 3.35 Marbaan, 4.10 Kyprios, 4.45 Alabama Pearl, 5.20 Belloccio.
DONCASTER: 12.30 Chaldean, 1.00 Lord of The Lodge, 1.35 The Platinum Queen, 2.10 Bergerac, 2.45 Trueshan, 3.20 KINROSS (NAP), 3.55 New London, 4.30 Tyrrhenian Sea, 5.05 Mahrajaan.
DOUBLE: Kinross and New London.