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Although the St Leger will be the race of the day on Saturday at Doncaster, there is plenty for racing fans to enjoy on the under-card including the 7f Group 2 Champagne Stakes.
The contest has attracted some of the best juveniles in the last decade and 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean won the race en-route to Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes success last year. Other notable names including Too Darn Hot (2018), Chindit (2020) and going further back, Toronado (2012). Richard Hannon has an excellent record in the Group 2 contest with three victories since 2014 and he is represented by Rosallion in this year's renewal. The colt was an impressive winner of a Newbury maiden on debut and appeared to take a big step forward when taking the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes by four lengths at Ascot towards the end of July. The form was given a boost with second-placed Al Musmak subsequently winning the Listed Ascendant Stakes and it appears Rosallion is capable of further improvement. The yard are in good form with a 26% strike rate from the last fourteen days and they seem to be excited about the Blue Point colt's prospects.
Tom Marquand takes the ride on Charlie Hills' Iberian, who boasts experience at Group level following a second in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. Although the ground was only officially good-to-soft that day, Goodwood experienced heavy rainfall throughout the week and the colt seemed to act well on the surface, which could be an advantage with Doncaster set to encounter the same forecast. The form of his maiden victory at Newbury has not stacked up well, which would be a concern against colts with solid credentials.
WIN: ROSALLION
Karl Burke will be welcoming the rain for Spycatcher in the 7f Group 2 Park Stakes (3:00), having withdrawn his star sprinter from last week's Sprint Cup due to quick ground. The gelding has enjoyed an excellent season, winning the Group 3 Prix de Ris-Orange at Deauville before a short head second on very soft ground in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest. He has been periodically campaigned over seven furlongs with mixed results, but will relish any test of stamina and is a worthy favourite.
John and Thady Gosden's Audience has been exclusively raced over seven furlongs this year and made a successful transition into Group company when taking the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket's July course ahead of Jumby. He didn't show the same level of form in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood subsequently but bounced back to finish second behind Kinross in the Group 2 City Of York Stakes at the Ebor Festival. The gelding is likely to get his own way in front but the slower ground would be a concern.
Andrew Balding's Sandrine was a very speedy juvenile and has experienced mixed fortunes in the two years since. She showed signs of being revitalised by the application of a first-time visor when third behind Kinross and Audience in the Group 2 City Of York Stakes and was not beaten far when sixth in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest. The four-year-old would need to find further improvement to reverse form with the top two, although the visor does remain on.
WIN: SPYCATCHER
RACING AND SPORTS SELECTIONS
RACE 1: ROSALLION
RACE 2: HAPPY ROMANCE
RACE 3: SPYCATCHER
RACE 4: ARREST
RACE 5: SYMBOL OF LIGHT
RACE 7: AT VIMEIRO