Doncaster St.Leger meeting: day two

It´s Ladies Day at Doncaster with 3 races restricted to fillies. The most important is the Group Two Park Hill Stakes over 1 3/4 miles at 15.55 CET, the fillies´ St. Leger. After the death of top German stallion Monsun earlier this weelk, it would be especially fitting if one of his daughters were to win here, and it seems more than likely with Estimate (Paul Hanagan) and Monshalk (Franny Norton), both trained by Sir Michael Stoute, to represent him, as well as Kailani (Mahmood al Zarooni/ Mikael Barzalona), while the likely favourite Wild Coco (Sir Henry Cecil/ Tom Queally) is by his son Shirocco. Wild Coco, still owned by breeder Gestüt Röttgen, came back from almost a year off to win a similar race at Goodwood in good style, with Estimate, owned by the Queen, only third, but the latter appeared not to handle the track and we would not be surprised to see her reverse that form today. However the one that really interests us is Kailani, who has not been seen since running b adly at Royal Ascot and before that in the Oaks. She looked very useful when winning her first two races and is out of the German mare Kazzia, that won the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks for Godolphin. Best of the rest could be Ambivalent (Riger Varian/ Neil Callan), a listed winner last time out, but now stepping up in class and distance.

Al Zarooni and Barzalona also have chances in the Group Three Sceptre Stakes over 7 fillies at 14.50; she won the UAE 1,000 Guineas at the Meydan meeting, but was well beaten on her only start since; however if anywhere near her Meydan form, she can win this. There is a huge field and the best of the others could be Irish raider Coolnagree (Willie McCreery/ Declan McDonogh) and Sentaril (William Haggas/ Johnny Murtagh), who flopped last time but whose second in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot is good form. The most valuable race on the card is the sales race for 2yo´s over 6 1/2 furlongs at 15.20. These races have their own rules, but Parliament Square (Aidan and Joseph O´Brien) is clearly the class act here, having run third in the Prix Morny. He has however a huge weight, and bottom-weight The Gold Cheongsam (Jeremy Noseda/ Franny Norton) is obviously a threat in receipt of 18 lbs, while the unbeaten Flyman (Richard Fahey/ Paul Hanagan) is also well fancied.

The other meetings today are of no great importance, but the Irish fixture at Laytown is a great spectacle, with the races run on the beach. Several leading trainers have runners here, but it is not normally worthwhile having a bet in view of the vagaries of the weather.