Megan Nicholls Racing Preview: St Leger Festival Day 1 Tips
Doncaster 1.15 – British Stallion Studs 'Carrie Red' EBF Fillies' Nursery Handicap
Art Of Life (7/2) has been running well without winning so far.
She has run in a couple of nice novices and has a fair opening mark of 82. Switching to handicaps for the first time, but I think she is open to plenty of progression. Clive Cox’s horses are also running well at the moment.
It will be interesting keeping an eye on the ground – I think it's going to be on the slow side.
Horses like Art Of Life – her damsire is Dutch Art – don't tend to mind a little bit of juice in the ground and she's by Palace Pier as well so she should, on pedigree, be able to handle it.
Megan’s Tip: Art Of Life WIN
Doncaster 1.50 – 2-Y-O Stakes (GBB Race)
It's hard to look away from Night In Vegas (11/8 fav), who's just had a great season.
He won the Tattersalls sales race at Newmarket last time and has solid group form as well; placed twice at the Group 2 level and looks to be nicely weighted in this.
If I was going to have an each-way throw, it would be George Boughey's Mithaaly (11/1), who got off the mark at Windsor last time very impressively having been second on his first two starts. He looks a nice prospect.
I think he is open to progression and six-and-a-half furlongs is probably ideal as he's run over the six and the seven prior, so somewhere in between should suit.
Mithaaly carries considerable each-way value at 11/1.
Megan’s Tip: Night In Vegas WIN & Mithaaly E/W
Doncaster 2.25 – Pertemps Network Handicap (GBBPlus Race)
Knights Charge (4/1) has won two of his three starts to date.
He hasn't been seen for a little while but he has probably been waiting for a little bit of juice in the ground, winning at Nottingham on good to soft earlier in the season and hasn't had any ground suitable since.
They've obviously been patient with him and there's probably more to come from Knights Charge off his opening mark of 91 in a handicap for the first time.
Megan’s Tip: Knights Charge WIN
Doncaster 3.00 – Park Hill Fillies' Stakes
I'm going to stick with Waardah (5/2 fav) – a filly that I have always been a big fan of.
She's got a hood on for the first time just to keep her settled. I thought she ran very well at Goodwood when trying to retain her crown in the Lillie Langtry when, ultimately, she was a bit too keen.
Waardah looked like she was coming to win but had to battle with Santorini Star and Goodie Two Shoes and was only beaten by a nose and a head, so very narrow margins. Prior to that she was behind Estrange at Carlisle. It's red-hot form, meaning she's got the superior form in this race, and she won't mind a little bit of cut in the ground either.
Waardah's beaten plenty of these already when clashing before and can go a couple of places better this time around.
Megan’s Tip: Waardah WIN
Doncaster 3.35 – May Hill Stakes
I’m going for Sea Of Rain (13/2).
Trainer Jim Bolger is sending over this filly, who is a daughter of Naval Crown. His progeny are starting to get going now and are more backward types, that's for sure.
She was a winner last time at the Curragh at Group 3 level, where she showed a great attitude and saw it out really well. I don't think she'll mind a little bit of cut in the ground and she's up to Group 2 level now – but she's got loads of experience and has been pretty consistent and solid.
Godolphin have got a short-priced favourite – and a daughter of Lope De Vega – in Musical Times (13/8 fav), who's done nothing wrong in her two starts to date.
Musical Times looked like a really speedy filly at Yarmouth when winning and, although she kept going, the form was only okay. Also, the slower ground may be against her chances as it may just sap that speed away from her. But I'm going with the experience here in Sea Of Rain.
Megan’s Tip: Sea Of Rain WIN
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation
