ITV Racing Tips from Architect Tips with a Saturday double at Doncaster.
15:00 Doncaster
Spycatcher is likely to start favourite for the Group 2 Betfred Park Stakes after finishing second in the Prix Maurice de Gheest but the sixth from that race, SANDRINE (best price 9/2), will be much more effective under these quicker conditions and must have every chance of bridging the gap here.
Andrew Balding’s filly has not won since last summer, which came in July, but that last success did come at this level in which she beat Kinross and her best performance of this campaign was last time out in the City Of York Stakes when she finished a close-up third. Still, she is rated 3Ib higher than Spycatcher and is in receipt of 3Ib from the latter, too.
The first time visor worn last time is essentially retained here and the combination of this trip on this ground is when she is prone to being at her best. She comes out best on these terms and should she produce her best and come out on top, this would tee her up perfectly for a tilt at the Champions Sprint Stakes next month. She’s a major player.
15:35 Doncaster
The big race of the meeting is the St Leger and while a case can be made for most, the most intriguing runner is MIDDLE EARTH (best price 8/1) who was supplemented for the race at a cost of £50,000 on the back of what was an impressive performance in the the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap at York.
He didn’t make his debut until mid-June but after three months into his career, he has nicely progressed with each start and the form of his Newmarket win was boosted by the runner-up Naqeeb, who won a good race last weekend off a mark of 100 and is a horse going places.
He might be one of the lowest rated runner in the field but it’s worth recollecting his stable won this year’s Ascot Gold Cup at Royal Ascot with a horse who had won a handicap, off a mark in the 90s, on his previous start, so in accordance, they will know what sort of horse they have on their hands.
He has hit the line strongly in every start and should have more to come over this longer distance. Although he has a lot more on his plate, he could yet take higher rank. His team are also represented with Arrest and Gregory but this three-year-old is rising through the ranks and it would be folly to dismiss his claims in his Group 1 debut.
