Today's Racing Tips: Mark Milligan's best bets for Day 1 of the St Leger Festival include a 14/1 fancy

Doncaster, 14:25 - Back Sintra E/W @ 12/113.00

10 (8)

Sintra

• J: Nicola Currie
• T: Andrew Balding
• F: 32317

• SBK 12/1
• EXC 15.5

The Doncaster St Leger meeting gets underway on Thursday and the first race of interest from a betting perspective is this intriguing handicap which features several unexposed sorts that appear to be on the up.

Chief among them may well be Roger Varian's Knights Charge, who has won both his starts this term and makes his handicap debut from what looks a fair enough mark.

He could have much more to offer but looks priced about right at 4/15.00, as does the William Haggas-trained King Of Earth, who may simply have been flying to high in the Strensall Stakes at York last time.

The one I like from an each-way perspective is Andrew Balding's Juddmonte-owned Sintra, who we haven't seen since the spring, but who makes his return having had a gelding operation.

He'd looked on the up when winning a five-runner handicap at Ascot in May but was then readily outpointed in the London Gold Cup at Newbury, though that's typically one of the strongest three-year-old handicaps of the season.

Sintra is bred to be decent (from the family of Goldikova) and sneaks in towards the bottom of the weights here. If the gelding operation has had the desired effect, he could prove attractively handicapped.

Notable winners from Mark in recent weeks

Asia Force @ 6/1
Zgharta @ 9/2
Pierian @ 10/3
Algaihabane @ 3/1
Kokbastau @ 11/4
Youdecide @ 15/8
Hoseki @ Evens

Park Hill Stakes, Doncaster, 15:00 - Back Nyra E/W @ 14/115.00

5 (8)

Nyra (Ger)

• J: J. M. Sheridan
• T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien, Ireland
• F: 21323-423

• SBK 14/1
• EXC 17

This looks an open renewal of the Park Hill and it could be ripe for taking something of a chance on one at a big price.

The Joseph O'Brien stable has had a fine time of things in major festivals under both codes in 2026 and I'm hoping the team can savour more success with Nyra in the day's feature race, and she could well be overpriced at 14/115.00.

Although she needs to improve a little to play a strong hand in ratings terms, it's worth noting that this ex-German filly ran a fine race when second to subsequent Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Sparan Nua just two starts back and a repeat of that would put her right in the mix here.

The selection has also yet to be tried over further than 1m 4f and there's every chance she can improve for an extra couple of furlongs given the stout German pedigree she possesses.

Favourite Waardah gets this trip well and will be right to be in the mix, but I'm more than happy to take a chance on Nyra at a substantially bigger price.

Mark's Bet of the Day: Doncaster, 17:20 - Back Devil's Peak @ 2/13.00

5 (4)

Devil's Peak

• J: William Buick
• T: John & Thady Gosden
• F: 34-245126

• SBK 2/1
• EXC 1.05

Both selections so far on Thursday have been a tad speculative, but that's not the case with Devil's Peak in the last, who should take all the beating.

John & Thady Gosden's three-year-old has improved since blinkers went on early in the summer and he ran out a good winner of a Newbury handicap in July before going on to back that up with a good second in a strong race at Glorious Goodwood on his next start.

Both those outings came over 1m 3f and the selection appeared to run out of stamina a touch when upped a couple furlongs in trip for the Melrose at York last time, though still managed to finish a creditable sixth in what is always a well-contested event.

Devil's Peak ought to relish dropping back in trip here and this race looks substantially less competitive than the Melrose.

He should give a bold showing under William Buick.

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