Weather Likely To Have Say In Outcome Of Saturday's St Leger.

Tagged under: Horse Racing

Doncaster clerk of the course David Williams was delighted by the 25 millimetres of rain that fell on Turf Moor overnight, changing the official going to good to soft. " We've had a fair amount of rain predicted this year and it's never fallen, so I'm more than happy," said Williams. "It's good to soft ground and it may ease a little bit, especially on the round course, once it soaks in. " The forecast is we could get some showers this afternoon, but it is pretty much a showery forecast for the week." Trainers who will be pleased with the news are Sir Michael Stoute, Mark Tompkins and Jeremy Noseda, but the easing of the ground will be a disappointment for Ed Dunlop, trainer of dual Oaks winner Snow Fairy. The Yorkshire Oaks runner-up is an intended runner and could be partnered by Richard Hughes or Eddie Ahern, now that regular partner Ryan Moore is expected to be on board Total Command, who should relish the ease in the ground. Due to the rain Snow Fairy has drifted in the betting to a top price 8/1 with Paddy Power, who are giving new customers a free bet of £25, but one horse that is shortening in the market is the Mark Tompkins trained Ted Spread. The Chester Vase winner was only fourth behind Rewilding in the Great Voltigeur Stakes but Tompkins has been hoping for more give underfoot saying: " I'm pleased rain is forecast as it will suit him. He's a big, tall horse who was always going to get better as he gets older. " If it rains at Doncaster as they say it will this week, he has a chance of getting in the frame." Theology's trainer, Jeremy Noseda, believes the colt's stamina will come into play because of easing conditions saying: A bit of cut will suit him, and the stiffer the test of stamina, the more it suits him." Totesport, Victor Chandler, Paddy Power and Sportingbet still have Ted Spread at 16/1, although other firms are as short as 12/1, but Theology is widely available at 33/1, the same price as Total Command.

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