Events / Graham Cunningham / 10 September 2008 /

Improving weather, good quality racing and the prospect of seeing a potential Classic filly go through her paces. There are plenty of reasons to be cheerful on day two of Doncaster's St Leger Festival and Racing UK pundit Graham Cunningham is back to preview the cream of the action.

1.30

Finding a worthwhile edge here looks tricky, especially as Michael Jarvis runs a well-bred newcomer in Secrecy. Courageous and Yorksters Girl both need to settle a shade better than they did last time, while Joe Fanning is adamant that drying ground would be in favour of the strong-galloping Crackdown.

All things considered, Midnight Cruiser is probably the safest option. Richard Hannon's colt was very strong at the finish when landing a Newbury maiden, but whether he will represent true value at relatively skinny odds under a penalty is another matter.

2.00

Opposing Aidan O'Brien in Pattern races is always risky, but the front-running Hold Me Love Me is very one paced and will need to set a searching gallop to avoid being swamped late. Allegretto is down in class after having no excuses at Ascot and Newmarket and looks sure to go well, but a split stakes strategy involving Gravitation and Gull Wing could pay dividends here.

Gravitation is thriving on racing and will relish this longer trip after nailing that good yardstick Folk Opera close home in a Goodwood Group 3, while Gull Wing flopped for no apparent reason at Newbury last time but relishes soft ground and holds definite place claims if back on song.

3.10

A classic Betfair conundrum revolves around Rainbow View, who lays her 1000 Guineas credentials on the line after two thunderous Newmarket successes. The style of both wins was striking and there is plenty of substance to her recent Sweet Solera romp. A mile ought to suit her, too, so the crucial question relates to what price she ought to be.

Snoqualmie Girl showed useful form to win at Salisbury but was left for dead once John Gosden's filly quickened at HQ in July, while Jim Bolger's Aaroness looks one of the pace angles but also has an ungainly head carriage which is off putting. The improving Rose Diamond ran into a good one in the shape of Fantasia in Goodwood's Prestige Stakes. She looks by far the biggest danger to the favourite and will be tough to keep out of the places, but Rainbow View looks the real deal. In short, I won't be opposing her if she's backable at [1.5] or bigger.

3.45

Plenty of punters will be mad keen on Red Dune and there can be little doubt that she has plenty in her favour after following a Newmarket handicap win with a very solid effort in Group 3 company at Goodwood. However, there are a couple of potential negatives to weigh into the equation before diving in.

First, Red Dune has never encountered testing conditions and the ground here is plainly still holding. And second, Red Dune is an exuberant filly. Her stablemate Royalist pulled his chance away on day one and Red Dune could also prove vulnerable late if she pulls hard again. Royal Confidence was only just behind her at Goodwood last time and is clearly one of her main rivals again on a track which suits her very well indeed, while Festoso thrived on racing last season but is hard to assess after being absent for the best part of a year since her excellent Cheveley Park third behind the high-class Natagora and Fleeting Spirit.

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