Doncaster Saturday

1:50 Betfred Champagne Stakes (Group 2) 7f 6y

The form of the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood has been working out well, with third-placed Cool Hoof Luke landing the Gimcrack at York next time, where he beat subsequent Sirenia Stakes winner Symbol of Strength into third.

With that in mind, Vintage runner-up Wolf Of Badenoch looks overpriced, looking better than the result there having been held up well off the pace. He finished well to win over this track and trip on debut and looks capable of a fair bit more improvement given he was still green at Goodwood.

A mile will suit by the season’s end but this stiff seven should suffice and he looks best of these.

2:25 Betfred Portland Handicap 5f 143y

Albasheer hasn’t had the breaks since winning at Ascot in July and looked for all the world like he had swooped for victory in the Beverley Bullet a fortnight ago, only to be denied by the minimum margin. A well-run race at this unusual trip should suit him ideally and he has speed to chase centre and far side.

He’s been frustrating to follow of late, with the one race I didn’t want him to win being that Ascot event that earned him a penalty in the Stewards’ Cup.

In his defence, he had rotten luck at Goodwood and again when drawn far too high at York on his penultimate start, so he’s doing little wrong and I’ll be surprised if he’s out of the frame, accepting that a rise in the weights for being beaten at Beverley is a tough pill to swallow.

3:00 Betfred Park Stakes

(Group 2) 7f 6y

Kinross can have few excuses here, and his fans will point to Montassib’s win in the Sprint Cup as evidence that he is being harshly judged in places. Montassib was the horse who ran him down at Newcastle in the Chipchase Stakes, and I’ll put my hand up as one who considered that proof of Kinross’ decline at the time.

The downside is that he’s run below his best in the July Cup and the Lennox Stakes since, and he does have a bit to prove on balance.

I would have taken on Kinross with Lake Forest here, but last year’s Gimcrack winner is now an absentee, so Lead Artist looks the one to be with for those opposing Kinross. Lead Artist landed the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood last time over a mile, making all the running.

He had his race won at the furlong pole that day but was hanging on at the finish and while all his racing has been at a mile to date, the drop to seven furlongs looks a positive, and he can stretch these from the front with a similar display.

3:40 Betfred St Leger Stakes (Group 1) 1m 6f 115y

The St Leger is rarely a strong betting race for me, but the one angle which remains worth forcing is to focus on stamina. I’d rather have a horse proven over a mile and three-quarters, but always look for a mile and a half winner who shapes like a stayer.

Plenty of good judges have told me that You Got To Me will stay, but the horse who shapes most as if a slog will suit is Jan Brueghel, who has not been visually impressive in winning either the International Stakes or the Gordon Stakes on his last two starts, but gives every indication that he is hiding more than he shows, making Ryan Moore pull out all the stops at Goodwood, rather than the other way around.

Jan Brueghel is unbeaten in three starts and is the least exposed in the field, so with the step up to an extended mile and three-quarters expected to bring further improvement, he’s taken to provide Aidan O’Brien with an eighth Leger winner.

4:15 PJ Towey Construction Handicap 1m 2f 43y

I put up Rathgar after his non-staying effort in the Pitmen’s Derby and I have to say that I was gutted when he popped up at 25/1 next time out as I was in bed with ‘flu and hadn’t spotted he was running.

He’s run well on both starts since but seemed to find things happening a bit too quickly on fast turf at York last time. This track should suit, and his defeat here last season came over the St Leger trip which is clearly too far for him. His record at nine furlongs/mile and a quarter on good or softer ground now reads 31212 and he has become much more reliable since Jack Channon worked out his trip.

Cheekpieces are also a positive for Rathgar. In his short training career to date, Channon has put cheekpieces on just 13 horses for the first time. Nine of those 13 were placed with four winning, and the trainer clearly knows when to utilise headgear to best effect rather than turning to the aids as a last resort.

Chester Saturday

2:05 Virgin Bet Stand Cup Stakes (Listed) 1m 4f 63y

Al Qareem caused a minor surprise when beating Bluestocking in this race last year and has rarely had ideal conditions this season, with his best form coming at a mile and a half/mile and three-quarters with significant ease underfoot. He wasn’t discredited when beaten by Alsakib in the Silver Cup at York in July and has raced on fast ground on both starts since.

This looks weaker than last year’s renewal and Al Qareem is fancied to lead throughout once more, with main rival Al Yakel drawn widest. The latter had his latest defeat of Faylaq at Hamilton boosted when the runner-up took the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster on Friday, but even so, he has a little to find with Al Qareem on balance of form.

2:40 Livescore Bet Watergate Cup 1m 7f 196y

This race suits Emiyn well, and Declan Carroll’s charge was a gallant second a year ago having won the race on easy ground in 2022.

He’s ideally suited by Chester and easy ground, running the race of his life to be placed in the Chester Cup in May, and while Carroll had a summer to forget, he’s kept a few of his better horses fresh for an autumn campaign, including Emiyn, and it would be a positive to see a good run from the stable’s Seantrabh in Doncaster’s Friday finale to bolster confidence.

Wolf Of Badenoch 1:50 Doncaster – 1pt win 7/2 (general)

Albasheer 2:25 Doncaster – 1pt e/w 10/1 (Bet365, 6 places; 9/1 general)

Jan Brueghel 3:40 Doncaster – 2pts win 4/1 (general)

Rathgar 4:15 Doncaster – 1pt e/w 8/1 (Bet365, 7/1 general)

Al Qareem 2:05 Chester – 2pts win 2/1 (general)