Doncaster’s St Leger Festival kicks off in style on Wednesday with the Group Three Sceptre Stakes and the must-watch Leger Legends charity race, all live on Sky Sports Racing.
3.35 Doncaster – Adaay In Asia, Novemba & Heredia clash
The first of nine Group contests to look forward to during St Leger week on Town Moor, the Group Three Japan Racing Association Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes (3.35) offers a cracking start to the four-day meeting.
Of the 11 runners, Royal Ascot winner Heredia will be popular for Richard Hannon and Sean Levey having put in two good efforts – third in the Listed Coral Distaff and eighth in the Oak Tree at Goodwood – since landing the Sandringham.
She is likely to find this equally as competitive but would be in the mix on her Ascot-winning form.
German raider Novemba may not yet have scored on previous trips to Britain but performed admirably when fourth in the Group Two Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot and third in the Valiant back at Ascot in July.
Trainer Harry Dunlop, who is retiring at the end of the season, has enjoyed a memorable summer with Adaay In Asia and she seeks a five-timer after continuing her remarkable rise at York last month.
Adaay In Asia has won four in a row for Harry Dunlop
4.10 Doncaster – 2019 Scarborough winner Equilateral back for more
Charlie Hills’ legendary sprinter Equilateral returns to Doncaster looking to repeat his 2019 triumph in the Cazoo Scarbrough Stakes (4.10).
The seven-year-old looked back to near his very best when finishing fifth in the Group One King’s Stand at Royal Ascot at odds of 66/1 and now drops back to Listed level for the first time since January 2021.
John Ryan has booked the service of Ryan Moore for Shergar Cup winner Manaccan, who has been in good form all year, including when third in Listed company at Newmarket in the Hopeful Stakes last time.
With jockey Ali Rawlinson back to full fitness after two consecutive horror injuries, he gets back aboard Mick Appleby’s King Of Stars, who was placed in big-field contests at York and Beverley last month.
Equilateral and Ryan Moore on the way to winning the 2019 Scarbrough Stakes
2.40 Uttoxeter – Haul Away & Chapmanshype
Trainer Jamie Snowden will be hoping Chapmanshype is on another going day in the QuinnBet Handicap Hurdle (2.40) after a hit-and-miss summer so far.
The eight-year-old made light work of a five-runner contest at Newton Abbot in July and has since been off the track.
Nicky Henderson, who has been notably quiet over the summer period, teams up with Nico de Boinville as he sends out Haul Away, who drops down to two-and-a-half miles after two poor efforts over three miles when last seen in the spring.
Another making a first start of the new season is Donald McCain’s Minella Plus, a three-time winner last year and the mount of champion jockey Brian Hughes.
Wednesday racecards | Latest Sky Bet odds
Watch every race from Doncaster and Uttoxeter live on Sky Sports Racing on Wednesday, September 7