Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the Cazoo St Leger at Doncaster will take place 24 hours later than originally scheduled and we are set fair for a fascinating day of racing on both sides of the Irish Sea.
New London heads to post as a hot favourite for the final Classic of the year with Charlie Appleby bidding to follow up the success of Hurricane Bay in 2021.
With no Stradivarius in the field, the Doncaster Cup appears to be at the mercy of Alan King’s Trueshaan but don’t be surprised to see a big run from Coltrane as Andrew Balding’s stayer has made the frame in both the Chester Cup and the Lonsdale Stakes.
Over at The Curragh, there are no fewer than five Group contests to get stuck into with the highlight being the Irish St Leger – which unlike the British version – is open to older horses.
Kyprios confirmed himself as the top stayer in the division at present with a gutsy victories at Royal Ascot and Goodwood and he’s unbeaten in all four starts this season.
He could prove to be part of a very big day for Aidan O’Brien and the Ballydoyle operation.
O’Brien has big chances in the big two-year-old prizes on the card and Ryan Moore will be aboard Futurity Stakes winner, Aesop’s Fables in the National Stakes and the unbeaten Meditate in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.
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11:01Ian Brindle
Racegoers arrive at Doncaster
Mike Parcej is well known to Twitter followers for his patronage of his sport and his often fraught way of attempting to reach the racecourses by public transport. He's made it in good time today...
10:48KEY EVENT
St Leger betting with Betfred
Here are the latest odds with our friends over at Betfred for the St Leger at Doncaster
New London 11/10 Favourite
Haskoy 9/2
Hoo Ya Mal 13/2
Eldar Eldarov 7/1
French Claim 9/1
Emily Dickinson 18/1
Giavellotto 22/1
Lizzie Jean 80/1
El Habeeb 125/1
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10:36Ian Brindle
Poignant day for Ballydoyle
News emerged last night of the death of Evie Stockwell, the mother of John Magnier, one of the cornerstones of the current Ballydoyle operation.
One of the most respected breeders in Ireland, she enjoyed notable successes with homebred horses trained by Aidan O'Brien, which raced in her late husband Tom Magnier's blue and brown silks. as well as in her own name and in partnership.
Stockwell's top horses included 2015 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Hit It a Bomb and Fairyland , who landed the 2018 Cheveley Park Stakes and the Flying Five Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend a year later.
Aidan O’Brien said of the matriarch of the Magnier dynasty: "She was an incredibly special lady. We met her first when we came to Ballydoyle, and she was a very wise lady.
"All the way along she would have been great to give us advice, and we had many good fillies for her, Fairyland probably one of the best recently."
"She had an unbelievable interest in, and understanding of, horses, and she was a great judge of a horse. She was so passionate about horses."
The funeral will be at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Fethard, on Monday followed by a private burial in Kilcrumper Old Cemetery in Fermoy.
10:27Ian Brindle
Racing takes place at The Curragh
We will also be keeping an eye on day 2 of Champions Weekend in Ireland.
Yesterday saw Luxembourg bounce back to form with victory in the Irish Champion Stakes.
It could be a big day for Aidan O'Brien with favourites in the majority of those contests.
10:24Ian Brindle
Doncaster to commemorate the Queen's life
Doncaster will be commemorating and celebrating the Queen's life at 12:10pm.
The Queen had a winner of the St Leger in 1977 when Dunfermline (who had earlier in the year won the Oaks at Epsom).
She was trained by Major Dick Hern and ridden by Willie Carson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX3P0iaF_YM
10:18KEY EVENT
Field for St Leger
3.55 Cazoo St Leger Stakes (Group 1) 1m. 6f. 115yds
1st - £445,741.00 2nd - £168,990.00 3rd - £84,574.00 4th - £42,130.00
1 (5) 1-114 Eldar Eldarov 9-3 Roger Varian / David Egan
2 (8) 5021 El Habeeb 9-3 Kevin Philippart De Foy / P J McDonald
3 (9) 14-133 French Claim 9-3 Paddy Twomey / Danny Tudhope
4 (2) 1-14321 Giavellotto 9-3 Marco Botti / Neil Callan
5 (7) 2-32231 Hoo Ya Mal 9-3 George Boughey / David Probert
6 (4) 1-1211 New London 9-3 Charlie Appleby / William Buick
7 (6) 515243 Emily Dickinson 9-0 Aidan O'Brien / Sean Levey
8 (3) 11 Haskoy 9-0 Ralph Beckett / Frankie Dettori
9 (1) 37141 Lizzie Jean 9-0 Ivan Furtado / Hollie Doyle
Tonguestrap: Hoo Ya Mal
Hood: Giavellotto, Lizzie Jean
10:17Ian Brindle
Doncaster non-runners
Here are the current non-runners ahead of today's meeting.
1:00 1 Shine So Bright
2:10 5 Bergerac, 9 Night On Earth, 20 Zargun
14:45 3 Island Brave, 7 Haizoom
15:20 1 Jumby, 7 Sacred
16:30 5 Astro King. 15 Laasudood
17:05 1 Mahrajaa, 11 Fair Star
10:07Ian Brindle
Racing menu at Doncaster
Today's card has been extended to nine races - the feature is the Cazoo St Leger at 3:55pm.
12:30 Coral Champagne Stakes (Group 2) 2YO only 7f 6y
1:00 Cazoo Handicap (Class 2) 6f 111y
1:35 Coral Flying Childers Stakes (Group 2) 2YO only, 5f 3y
2:10 Coral Portland Handicap (Class 2) 5f 143y
2:45 Coral Doncaster Cup Stakes (Group 2) 2m 1f 197y
3:20 Cazoo Park Stakes (Group 2) 7f 6y
3:55 Cazoo St Leger Stakes (Group 1) 1m 6f 115y
4:30 P J Towey Construction Handicap (Str), Class 2, 1m
5:05 Coral Mallard Handicap (Class 2) 1m 6f 115y
10:02Ian Brindle
Going news
The official going at Doncaster today is :
Straight: Soft – good to soft in places
Round: Good to soft – soft in places
10:00Ian Brindle
Doncaster awaits
The gates are opening ahead of a solemn day of racing but one where champions will be made...
11:59KEY EVENT
Hello and welcome
It's been a difficult time for the nation following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. She loved horse racing and now the sport gets an opportunity to pay tribute.
