Nick Luck
Nick Luck’s William Hill Blog: St Leger Festival Day One Best Bets
William Hill ambassador Nick Luck provides his best bets for day one of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster.
Thursday, Doncaster
The first race of the St Leger Festival is a good-looking Fillies’ Nursery Handicap (1.15pm) and I like an unexposed one here in ART OF LIFE. She’s been gradually improving and hasn’t really had a race scenario to show off her ability. Now that she’s got a mark – which I think underestimates her talents – she can take a big step forward in a race that is likely to suit her.
There are lots of horses you could give a chance to in the Sales Race (1.50pm) but SEVEN NATION ARMY made a big impression on me when landing a bit of a touch at the Galway Festival, and I think there were valid excuses for the horses running in defeat, but ultimately it was a perfectly good run, nonetheless. This somewhat intermediate distance should suit this horse well for a stable whose festival raiders have held all before them this season.
KING OF EARTH is my selection in the ten-furlong Handicap (2.25pm). This is a much more suitable target than the one he was asked to undertake at York last time when he was rather run off his feet. He gets the extra furlong here which I think will help, especially with a nice bit of cut in the ground. He’s a full brother to King Of Change and really looks the part, and whilst he’s never going to hail to the illustrious heights of that horse, I think his connections believe he’s got plenty more to offer and he certainly should off this mark.
PRIZELAND is the one to beat in the Park Hill Stakes (3.00pm). She recorded a nice time in the Galtres – a quicker time than the Yorkshire Oaks – and she’s the daughter of Territories from a very sound family, so she certainly wont mind getting her toe in and will appreciate the extra distance. She’s got a Group 1 entry, and I’d imagine this is going to be a fairly obvious stepping stone for that and she’s fast improving from a yard remains in great form.
SEA OF RAIN is the pick in the May Hill (3.35pm). Jim Bolger has won this race before and he’s got a really tough filly on his hands who’s been improving and thriving with racing – so much so that she was sold to one of his leading owners after her victory last time out. I think stamina is what sways this for her – she’ll see out the trip really well and I think they’ll go a good gallop and she won’t be too far from it – I just see her outstaying her main opposition before a tilt at something like the Fillies’ Mile.
