Day One St Leger Preview 2021

The first selection of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster on Wednesday comes in the seven furlong Class 2 Nursery Handicap and we have sided with the Roger Varian trained Sed Maarib.

The two year old colt has been seen three times to date, improving rapidly for each start and now making his handicap debut off what looks a feasible mark, he should be weighted to go well.

Having made his debut in June and needing the experience in what has turned out to be a very smart race, he then went to Salisbury and finished a good second behind a nice type for Michael Bell.

The son of American Pharoah was last seen at Beverley when bolting up in a Novice Stakes and with progression likely again he looks the value in this race.

Expensive purchase that is expected to go well here.

An extremely interesting selection for us on Wednesday comes in the one mile Maiden Stakes and Frantastic for John & Thady Gosden could be a potential superstar.

The two year old colt for Anthony Oppenheimer is a well bred son of Frankel that is a full brother to the multiple Group One winner Cracksman.

If not needing the run he could be one to watch in the future, with a step up in trip likely going forward.

Big potential.

A quirky race at Town Moor on day one of the meeting sees the Leger Legends race where ex jockeys take to the track again for one race.

A horse of big appeal to us is the Tom Tate trained First Dance who is set to be ridden by Brian Harding and the mare looks to have some of the stand out form.

The seven year old of late has hit some good form, winning over a mile at Newmarket in determined style and then off 2lb higher went on to win again over the same course and distance.

Last time out she was stepped up to 10f and off a mark of 66 was a narrow second to a nice type for Clive Cox and now back down in trip she looks one of the more likelier winners.

The feature race of the afternoon sees the Group Three Sceptre Fillies; Stakes over seven furlongs and we are siding with the Ivan Furtado trained Just Beautiful.

The three year old filly Landed both of her races as a juvenile and when returning this season landed both of her races again to start her career with four straight wins.

Furtado decided to step her up for the Group One Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket and she was not disgraced at all finishing a decent sixth behind some superstars.

Last time out she was seen finishing a narrow second to the William Haggas trained Cloudy Dawn in a Group Three in France and off the back of that form she enters calculations.

Progressive type.

Another nice event on the day is the Listed Scarbrough Stakes over five furlongs and the stand out runner in the race is the Robert Cowell trained Arecibo.

Arecibo was a shock 28/1 runner up at the royal meeting in the King's Stand (5f), going easily 2f out and running on extremely well, but was ultimately left with too much to do on the run in to the line.

That race marked a major step up from handicaps to Group One level for the runner and subsequent runner up and fourth placed finishes at Sandown and Goodwood in Group Three and Group Two races are equally respectable pieces of form given they came over seemingly lesser suited softer ground.

Back in Group One company last time out for the Nunthorpe Stakes he finished a middle of the pack eighth, still showing clear pace and ability.

That form stacks up in a big way dropping back into Listed company and if running to his recent form the 6/4 looks a big price.

The penultimate event of the afternoon is the Class 2 Handicap over 1m2f and we are taking on the unbeaten favourite with the Owen Burrows trained Anmaat.

The three year old has some nice form in the book this season and looks weighted to go close if handling the 8lb rise from the handicapper.

Having finished a good second on debut in November as a juvenile behind the smart Rebel's Romance and beating Bay Bridge back in fourth who looks a nice type, he has kicked on again this term.

Anmaat went to Lingfield in May and got off the mark in a decent race and then backed that up in a better race at Doncaster when a close third.

The gelding was then stepped up to 10f at Newbury and was a good second on good to soft ground and then last time out was an emphatic winner at bath on quicker ground.

He is up in the weights but should improve once more to take it in his stride and looks the value against the favourite.

The final selection of the afternoon at Town Moor comes in the Class 4 Handicap over 5 1/2 furlongs and Princess Power for Nigel Tinkler looks a very well handicapped horse.

The five year old mare has been a superb horse for the yard over the years always seeming to run her race but of late has chucked in a few poor efforts that has seen her mark drop down to 75, which is 7lb below her last winning mark.

Having put in some placed efforts since, her last win came over course and distance at Doncaster back in 2019 off a mark of 82.

On Wednesday she is a big price of 18/1 to take the event with having weight on her side, course and distance form and an added bonus of a further 5lb taken off by a claimer, she could go well.

She is certainly well handicapped if getting back to the best of her form and is worth taking a chance on at the prices.