Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Thursday, 10 September - Doncaster
Charlie heads to Doncaster on Thursday for his best bet
It's a busy day of racing action in the UK and Ireland, and Charlie McCann is here with his exclusive free horse racing tips - only at FreeBets.
Conditions at Doncaster ahead of the first day of the St Leger meeting were described as a mix of good to soft and good on Wednesday morning, with a largely dry forecast over the four days.
2:25pm Doncaster - Knights Charge & Sintra
I have backed a couple against the field in the extended three-year-old 10f handicap KNIGHTS CHARGE and SINTRA.
Knights Charge has been off the track since running down Bay Royale at Nottingham on good to soft ground, and he relishes the bit of cut in the ground. I was hugely impressed with the manner of that success as I thought Bay Royale was a good thing and for over a mile he was running all over his field.
Knights Charge had other ideas, however, and the further he went the better he looked, and he was going away at the line winning by a length-and-a-half. Ray Dawson was in the plate on that occasion, but Shane Foley, retained by the owners, returns to the plate having been in the saddle when the selection won a Lingfield maiden by 5l from Cyrano De Bergerac, who is now rated eighty-nine. Roger Varian's Lucky Vega colt looks fairly treated from a mark of ninety for his handicap debut.
Just a quick aside, Foley came in for much criticism – albeit mostly on X – for the ride he gave the same connections Double Rush at York on Sunday. Having backed the horse at 10/3, it was a difficult watch to see him beaten at 6/5, but Foley gave the Andrew Balding-trained four-year-old every chance, and he was simply beaten by a better horse on the day.
That said, Foley's mounts since riding a winner at Ascot last weekend have finished: 5-3-9-3-4-3-2-3-7-2-2-3. A frustrating time, but he is a top-class jockey. Let's hope he proves that today.
Sintra is a more speculative selection, having been gelded after finishing down the field in the London Gold Cup back in the spring. He had previously made all at Ascot, and he was too keen at Newbury, having been sweaty and coltish down at the start.
This is a big day for Nicola Currie, who has a good ride in the fillies' nursery with Wondervision, and she gets the ride on Andrew Balding's son of Kingman carrying just 8st 4lbs. Both selections are returning from 100+ day absences but should be fresher than most and have gone well fresh in the past.
Recommendations: Knights Charge - 5/1 with bet365 & Sintra - 16/1 with bet365
3:00pm Doncaster - Waardah
The Group 2 Park Hill Stakes is a fabulous renewal with Group 1 winners Consent and Fairy Glen unpenalized for their successes at the top table. Consent was beaten a neck in the corresponding race twelve months ago and is fitted with cheekpieces for the first time by Sir Mark Prescott.
Both Group 1 winners are much respected, but if the first-time hood helps WAARDAH settle then she will be tough to beat. She ran all over her field at Goodwood when third in the Lillie Langtry last time but got there too soon, having pulled her jockey's arms out in the initial stages.
If the headgear works the oracle - and she is more amenable to restraint – then I think she will be tough to beat. We will likely know our fate early; she needs to settle and to be played as late as possible, as this extended 1m6f will place more emphasis on stamina than Goodwood.
The classic generation have landed this Group 2 prize five times in the last six renewals, and they are represented by Ballydoyle's Cameo and Prizeland of Andrew Balding 1-2 in the Lingfield Oaks Trial back in the spring. The latter was an impressive winner of the Galtres Stakes at York over 12f last time, but I'm not convinced that was the strongest of contests and she has stamina to prove over this additional quarter of a mile.
Recommendation: Waardah - 11/4 with bet365
4:45pm Goodwood - Rafe's Da Man
Undiscovered won his first two and was sent off just 11/2 for the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood when last seen, but finished last – beaten 13l – and has been gelded in the interim period. My two against the field, however, are Storm Blade and RAFE'S DA MAN, with preference for the latter, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore for the first time.
Storm Blade didn't look in love with the track when second at Chester last time and is bred to be smart. He will surely leave his opening mark of eighty-nine behind in time, and he receives 10lbs from the Richard Hannon-trained selection, but Rafe's Da Man holds an entry in the Group 1 Dewhurst and is held in high regard by connections.
The selection won his maiden at the Glorious Goodwood meeting, after which his trainer said:
"I've always liked Rafe's Da Man; he's immensely talented. He was a little bit crazy and doing things all too quickly, but today he relaxed - I think today he has proved that he has grown up, and he did that last time as well - he has always had a lot of scope. He's grown up now; I wouldn't be in a huge rush to rush him into the big stuff yet. But the way he's improving, nothing is out of the question."
He travelled supremely well at Goodwood and quickly put his race to bed. Yes, you can argue that the first and second raced prominently from their good draws over the 7f trip at Goodwood, but the fifth home has since won by six lengths and is now rated eighty-eight. He was beaten 4l by the selection who can race off ninety-one this afternoon.
Recommendation: Rafe's Da Man - 5/1 with bet365
5:20pm Doncaster - Devil's Peak (Nap)
Tyler Heard gave DEVIL'S PEAK (Nap) a cracking ride in the Melrose at York, and he looked to be coming with a well-timed run before his effort petered out two furlongs out, and he finished sixth beaten more than 5l having been sent off at 50/1.
He can race from the same mark this afternoon; William Buick returns to the plate, and he will enjoy the drop back from 14 to 12 furlongs. The classic generation have won the last two renewals of the corresponding race with well-backed market leaders, and I will be surprised if there is not another three-year-old winner, with My Ballyquinn and Brighton View considered the chief threats to the selection.
Skybet and Paddy Power opened up at 5/2 on Wednesday morning, but that was quickly snapped up, and he is 2/1 with the Flutter-owned firms at the time of writing. I would imagine we will get at least 9/4 when other firms come out later in the day.
Recommendation: Devil's Peak (Nap) - 2/1 with Unibet
This is Charlie's Nap of the Day selection - see how it stacks up against Alan Kelly's pick too.
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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