Doncaster St Leger Festival Day Four Preview

The first contest of the day is the Class 2 Portland Handicap over 5 1/2 furlongs and with such a big field going to post we have two selections.

The first from a win perspective is the Kevin Ryan trained Bielsa, a horse for Leeds fans, this four year old has been in stellar form in his career racing three times and being unbeaten in all of them.

Now a four year old he has incredibly low milage for his age and in both his runs this season has clear speed and progression that makes him a huge player in this one.

Muthmir for William Haggas is our each way punt in this contest with the now nine year old probably not at his best anymore but is unbeaten on both his starts at Doncaster and has shown signs of his former self recently.

The Group Two Hird Rail Group Park Stakes over seven furlongs sees a star studded line up of runners go to post and Turjomaan for trainer Roger Varian will not be far away.

This colt is another of our selections who is fairly unexposed and very consistent having only raced four times and won three with one disqualification and finish a narrow second last time out.

Last time out at Goodwood he was very unlucky not to grab the victory just not staying the mile trip but now back a furlong should see him challenge strongly again.

The Group Two Champagne Stakes is another top race before the St Leger on the Saturday at Doncaster and in this seven furlong event we like the favourite Threat.

The Richard Hannon trained juvenile has been a strong runner in all four of his contests winning on debut and then scoring again in great fashion last time out to land the Gimcrack Stakes at York.

He finished second twice before that being narrowly headed twice in good races at Ascot and Goodwood but getting that win last time out should improve him for this test.

The feature race of the whole festival is the Group One St Leger Stakes and in the final British Classic race of the season we have a win and each way selection.

The favourite Logician for John Gosden looks a class apart the rest of this field with he three year old colt having four starts to date and is unbeaten in all of them, only featuring in Class 3 and 4 races before landing the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes.

The St Leger has been the plan for along time with this grey and Gosden has said he has came out of York in fine fettle and is ready for his first Group One test.

Our each way selection who has a huge chance is the Mark Johnston trained Sir Ron Priestley who has won five of his six starts this season with the only blemish on his record coming at Royal Ascot.

He is stepping up to Group One level for the first time like Logician but has been one of the most progressive horses of the season and is primed for another big run looking for his fourth straight victory.

The final selection of the four day meeting from us comes in the Nursery Handicap over a mile and the Richard Hannon trained Forbidden Land should take all the beating.

The progressive two year old has raced four times in his career not getting off the mark yet but threatening too heavily with two seconds and two thirds.

His latest second in a Class 4 shows how much he has come on in such a small amount of time staying on nicely over seven furlongs at Sandown and the step up to a mile is bound to suit.