Features / Timeform / 05 September 2010 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Timeform look ahead to a week that culminates with the season's final classic on Town Moor...

"...Rewilding sets a lofty standard on the strength of his impressive success in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York in August, and should take all the beating"

Sunday 5th September

York stages the best of four meetings in Britain and Ireland on Sunday, but the day's most interesting action is all on the continent.

The Group 1 Prix de Moulin at Longchamp has attracted a representative field featuring the likes of Paco Boy, Rio de La Plata Siyouni and dual-French classic winner Lope de Vega, who is on a retrieval mission having disappointed in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly when last seen. There are three other Group races on the card at Longchamp, and both Brian Meehan and Tom Dascombe are represented in the seven-furlong Prix La Rochette for two-year-olds.

Sunday's other Group 1 takes place at Baden-Baden where Allied Powers and Cavalryman represent Michael Bell and Saeed bin Suroor respectively in the Grosser Preis Von Baden.

There are also two massive pots on offer at Veliefendi in Istanbul, where the Topkapi Trophy over a mile and the Bosphorus Cup over a mile and a half both hold Group 2 status. Both races have attracted plenty of interest from British-based trainers.

Tuesday 7th September

The listed Stardom Stakes over seven furlongs for two-year-olds is the big race at Goodwood, and it has been an informative guide to the best backend races in recent years, with the last two winners going on to taste Group 1 success, most recently Vale of York who followed up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Those who want to see something different also have the option of racing on the beach at Laytown, which stages its sole meeting of the season.

Wednesday 8th September

Wednesday is the first day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster, but it's something of a low-key start to proceedings with Wednesday's best race the listed Scarborough Stakes, a five-furlong event open to all ages.

Thursday 9th September

The quality ratchets up a notch at Doncaster on Thursday, with the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes over the St Leger trip for fillies and mares the first Group race of the meeting. David Lanigan's Oaks runner-up Meeznah is reportedly an intended runner, while Rumoush and Ebor second Rosika also feature among the entries. The day also features a valuable sales race for two-year-olds, in which the winner of the equivalent race at York, Wootton Bassett, may well seek to add a second big pot to his portfolio.

Friday 10th September

The stayers get their chance to shine in the Group 2 Doncaster Cup on Friday, where Michael Jarvis's Lonsdale Cup winner Opinion Poll features among the entries. There are two other Group 2 events on the card, namely the Flying Childers over five furlongs for the speediest juveniles around, and the May Hill over a mile for two-year-old fillies.

Saturday 11th September

The final classic of the season is the undoubted highlight in Britain on Saturday, and at this stage, sixteen remain in the race. Rewilding sets a lofty standard on the strength of his impressive success in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York in August, and should take all the beating, though the likes of Arctic Cosmos and Oaks winner Snow Fairy provide fascinating competition. There is plenty of other quality action at Doncaster on Saturday, notably the Champagne Stakes over seven furlongs for two-year-old colts, and the Park Stakes over the same trip for three-year-olds and upwards, while the Portland over an extended five furlongs is the day's big betting handicap.

There is also Flat racing in Britain at Chester, Sandown and Goodwood, where the highlight is the Group 3 Select Stakes.

Doncaster isn't the only track to stage a St Leger on Saturday though, as the Irish equivalent takes place at the Curragh. That isn't the only Group 1 at the Kildare venue on Saturday, as the National Stakes, arguably Ireland's top contest for juvenile contests, won recently by the likes of New Approach and Teoflo, also takes place.

Tags: Doncaster, Rewilding, St Leger