Tips and Free Bets for Day One of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster

We are clinging onto the coat tails of summer as we head into September, however there are still two terrific months of Flat racing ahead, including the St Leger Festival at Doncaster this week.

The meeting gets underway today with a host of high-class fillies on show in the feature races - the Group 2 May Hill Stakes and the Park Hill Stakes. You can get €30 in free bets to spend on the action with bet365.

2.25 Doncaster 300,000 2-year-old Stakes

Dragon Leader was a scintillating winner at York’s Ebor meeting last month for trainer Clive Cox, triumphing by four-and-half lengths. The smart chestnut colt is unbeaten in three starts and the form of that York race has worked out well. With champion jockey William Buick aboard today, he will be popular in the betting.

The vote, however, goes to Johannes Brahms who was also impressive at York in August, finishing second in the Group 2 Gimcrack. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, he is clearly talented and brings the best form to the field, running off a rating of 106. The improving son of Siyouni also finished second at Royal Ascot in the Windsor Castle and should be better than his rivals today.

For each-way value, Amo Racing’s Komat fits the bill, the daughter of Cable Bay finished sixth in the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and followed up with a promising fifth in the Group 3 Princess Margaret last time.

3.00 Doncaster - May Hill Stakes (Fillies') Group 2

Andrew Balding’s See The Fire is highly regarded by connections and was an eye-catching winner of a Newmarket maiden last month. The second in that race has won since and with Oisin Murphy in the saddle, the daughter of Sea The Stars represents good each-way value.

Meribella, represents the in-form Ralph Beckett yard and is a half-sister to the dual Group-1 winner Poet's Voice. This well-bred filly is another to consider following her excellent novice win at Newmarket on racecourse debut.

The pick of the field is Darnation for Karl Burke, who won the 2017 renewal of this race with star filly Laurens. The two-year-old daughter of Too Darn Hot has been most impressive on her last two runs winning the Group 3 Prestige Stakes last month and prior to that won a Thirsk novice by ten lengths.

3.35 Park Hill Fillies' Stakes (Fillies' And Mares' Group 2)

Sumo Sam took a huge step forward when running out an eight-and-a-half length winner of the Group 2 Lillie Langtry last month for Paul and Oliver Cole and is the top-rated filly in the field today. The improving daughter of Nathaniel is fancied to follow up on that victory having proven she is effective at this level over the distance of one mile and six furlongs.

John and Thady Gosden have an excellent record in this race and One Evening looks poised to strike at some point soon. Today’s contest represents a step up in class but there could be improvement to come following her near miss in a Listed race at York when beaten a head last time. A bold display is expected.

Boogie Woogie for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore also brings Group form to the race having finished second in a Group 3 at Chantilly this season. Connections have always had belief that she is a Group filly and the daughter of Dubawi is another to consider when stepped up in trip today.

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