Doncaster St Leger Day 1 Tips: Mark Milligan's NAP and two more to back on Thursday

• Haggas filly fancied in the first

• Exciting Godolphin juvenile the NAP

• Oxford Comma should improve for step up in trip

13:50 Doncaster - Back Art Design each-way

Art Design has some solid juvenile handicap form to her name and is fancied to get us off to a flyer in the 6.5f fillies' nursery that opens the St Leger Festival.

The William Haggas-trained daughter of No Nay Never took a few runs to figure things out, though that's not surprising given plenty of the stable's two-year-olds have looked a bit green/backward this season, but she's really started to put it together of late and won a similar contest to this last time.

That win came on the all-weather at Southwell, but she's equally proficient on turf and that form was franked when the fourth came out and won next time.

The selection shapes as though she'll get further than the 6f she won over last time, so this slight step up in trip shouldn't faze her in the slightest.

Her current price of 7/18.00 on the Sportsbook makes plenty of appeal and we have the insurance of five places for each-way purposes.

15:00 Doncaster - Back Desert Flower NAP

The 1m Group 2 May Hill Stakes provides us with the strongest bet of the day in the shape of the hugely exciting Desert Flower.
Charlie Appleby's unbeaten filly has created a big impression on both starts to date and is rightly towards the head of the betting for next year's 1000 Guineas.

She opened her account at the first time of asking on the Newmarket July course, taking a maiden in fine style, with the form given a boost by two of those in the frame winning next time.

She was even more impressive back there next time, spreadeagling a novice field by the best part of seven lengths, quickening clear from over a furlong out.

The time of that win was nothing flash, but the clock spoke well of her on debut and she could hardly have been more impressive in doing what she did.

This opposition is obviously a step up from those she's faced so far but everything about Desert Flower suggests she a Group performer in the making, and she can continue her progression by taking this contest.

15:35 Doncaster - Back Oxford Comma

As my colleague Daryl Carter points out in his column, the bare form of Oxford Comma gives her a bit to find in the 14.5f Group 2 May Hill Stakes, but she looks open to improvement stepping up in trip and goes for a stable that's won this race a couple of times in the past.

She's looked a filly of potential in two starts so far this season, winning both, including when taking a novice in good style over 1m 4f at this track last time.

The selection certainly looks the type who'll do better the further she goes, and she's pretty stoutly bred being by Nathaniel.

It also could be significant that she holds an entry in the Fillies & Mares contest on British Champions Day, suggesting the stable hold her in some regard.

There are plenty of dangers, as you'd expect for a race of this nature, and the main one may well be Night Sparkle, who's shown improved form of late and should appreciate getting back against her own sex having finished second to Vauban at York last time.

It's also worth mentioning Aidan O'Brien's Grateful, who looked unsuited by the twists and turns of Goodwood last time and could well take a step forward returned to a more conventional track.

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