St Leger Day One Tips: Back Medicean Man to get you off to a flyer

Tony Calvin
10 September 2013

Doncaster hosts the four-day St Leger Festival

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The four-day St Leger meeting gets underway at Doncaster on Wednesday and, although Channel 4 begin their coverage a day later, we have pressed Tony Calvin into action early. Here are his thoughts on day one...

"He is a Group 2-class sprinter on his day – mostly at Ascot, admittedly – but I strongly fancy him to atone for his unfortunate defeat in this race two years ago, when favourite."

Doncaster 15:00 - Medicean Man

We played a score-draw on Saturday courtesy of Gordon Lord Byron doing the business in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, but the weekend showed yet again just how important the ground is, and how we simply can't rely on the accuracy of weather forecasts.

Everyone was expecting a deluge at Haydock on the Friday night, and persistent rain throughout the Saturday card, but it didn't materialise. So instead of ground bordering on heavy, we had officially good to soft ground.

In fact, while Channel 4 were telling us it was soft ground, RUK and Timeform were reporting that the ground was closer to good. Not great news for our other mud-loving Sprint Cup selection Soul, who still ran very well to finish fifth. But not well enough. And it is not as if he would got anywhere near the winner in any conditions, anyway.

So, keep an eye on the updated going reports when they appear on Twitter from 6.30am onwards on Wednesday morning.

At the time of writing, the going description is good. So, with minimal rain forecast and no watering taking place, I am going to have to assume that the meeting is going to start on good ground. And, hopefully given drying conditions, perhaps even on the fast side.

Doncaster 14:00 - Emaad

And that means that I am going to take a chance on Emaad in the opening nursery.

He was very disappointing off this mark when fourth of six at Newmarket last time, and on that run would have little chance.

But I can't have that as his true running, with perhaps the rain-softened ground there to blame. His half-brother Silver Lime likes it fast, so I think any rain would be a negative for him.

On his earlier second at Chester I think he looks a well-treated horse off 73, though. The winner is well-regarded and the third was only touched off in a decent Salisbury maiden next time.

I think that he will need further in time - his sire was a 1m2f performer on dirt and there is plenty of stamina on the distaff side, too - so a strongly-run 7f in this bigger field could just see him to better effect. He is worth chancing at 12.011/1 or bigger.

The 6f conditions race, at 14:30, looks really trappy, and a win for any of the five wouldn't surprise me, and I don't think you can seriously have a bet in the Legends race, at 15:35.

Doncaster 15:00 - Medicean Man

But we certainly can in the Scarbrough Stakes at and I think Medicean Man rates as the best bet of the day. Back him at 7.06/1 or better. It is a shorter price than we usually play at, but it is more than justified on this occasion.

The first thing to say about this race is that everywhere you look there is pace. And then more pace.

Now, the danger is that the jockeys will clock this, too, and change their mind set and tactics. But there are at least half-a-dozen in here that like to force it, so I can't see anything other than a strong pace, and that has to suit a stalker and finisher like Medicean Man.

He has been slightly disappointing since beating Nunthorpe winner Jwala by a length over 5f at Haydock in June - and he carries a 3lb penalty for that win - but he certainly hasn't run badly. And this represents an excellent opportunity for him to get back on the winning track.

He is a Group 2-class sprinter on his day - mostly at Ascot, admittedly - but I strongly fancy him to atone for his unfortunate defeat in this race two years ago, when favourite. He finished third that day, beaten by just one-and-a-half lengths, after blowing his chance when stumbling coming out of the stalls.

And, to seal the bet, Jeremy Gask has his string in great form, with four winners in the past fortnight; in fact, all his horses are running well. I can't see a negative about the selection, to be honest, and think he should be around a 4.03/1 chance.

Doncaster 16:45 - Secretinthepark

Secretinthepark may be the answer to the 18-runner handicap and he rates a bet at 9.08/1 or bigger.

We sided with him when he was second over 6f at Newmarket last time, where he couldn't quite reel in Can You Conga.

He has gone up 3lb for that defeat but that is offset by the return to 7f, over which he won both his starts as a juvenile before being stepped down a furlong for all his outings this season.

With only seven starts under his belt, there is more improvement to come from him, especially now he is back at 7f.