Ratings Update: Doncaster St Leger meeting

This year’s St Leger looked a cracker on paper beforehand, with Group 1 winners Capri and Stradivarius meeting recognised trial winners Crystal Ocean, Rekindling, Raheen House and Defoe, and it didn’t disappoint, with a clean race run at a strong gallop that gave every horse – bar the pace-setting The Anvil – a fair chance. Irish Derby winner Capri (up 2 lb to 124) improved to win a second classic, giving trainer Aidan O’Brien his fifth St Leger and jockey Ryan Moore his first, showing an excellent attitude to dig deep under pressure and hold off the challenge of the strong-travelling Crystal Ocean (123p), who impressed with how he went through the race before being outstayed by the winner (a mile and a half may well prove his optimum trip, and he should have even more to offer next season). Goodwood Cup winner Stradivarius (123) put up another likable performance and is sure to be a big force in the staying scene back up at two miles in the future, while fourth placed Rekindling (121 from 116) looked a thorough stayer in the making and may improve for a further step up in trip.

Capri put the icing on an excellent week at Doncaster for Aidan O’Brien, who also took the preceding Champagne Stakes with Scat Daddy colt Seahenge (114p from 93p), who had clearly learnt a lot from his run in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood in August. Seahenge was value for more than the winning distance given that he passed the whole field in a race which wasn’t truly run, and though he is not short of speed he will probably stay a mile, especially next season, though his next port of call will reportedly be the Dewhurst. The likable Hey Gaman (110 from 106) was second, with favourite Mythical Magic (110p from 107p) in third. He’s likely to have more to offer given he was having, like the winner, just his third start.

The other group race on Saturday’s card was the Park Stakes, which is traditionally one of the top seven-furlong races in Britain, and with Criterion winner/Lennox second Home of The Brave in the field along with Prix Maurice de Gheest second Aclaim, it was another good renewal. Aclaim (122) gained a second Group 2 success of his career and has the Foret as an ideal next target, while Breeders’ Cup-bound Home of The Brave (down 1 lb to 119) put in a solid effort to finish third (though he did have the run of the race). Nathra (remains on 113) hasn’t won this year yet but ran right up to her best to split the pair.

The handicap performance of the week came from Spring Loaded (116 from 104) in the Portland Handicap, and he matched the best of his smart all-weather form to make a mockery of his lower turf mark, quickening sharply over a furlong out and leaving the field for dead in the closing stages. The valuable AW Sprint Final at Lingfield will surely come under consideration for his connections early next year.

Desert Skyline (119 from 117), third in the Goodwood Cup behind Stradivarius, took Friday’s feature Doncaster Cup, improving past a field of mostly well-established stayers who had little to choose between them on their best form. Thomas Hobson (remains on 117) saw things out better having been less exuberant than at York, and would give a good account if sent for the Long Distance Cup (Melbourne Cup presumably still his long-term aim).

The cream rose to the top in the Flying Childers earlier on Friday’s card, with the filly Heartache (111 from 108p) pulling clear of the field with Havana Grey (remains on 112). The former has a Cheveley Park entry, while the latter holds one for the Middle Park, and both are likely to continue to give good accounts.

Aidan O’Brien’s Music Box (110 from 107) took the Group 3 Sceptre Stakes, proving better than ever on her sixteenth start of the campaign, and given her toughness connections will have little to lose by allowing her to take her chance in the Sun Chariot, for which she is entered. Eternally (down 3 lb to 109) and Tomyris (remains on 106) filled the places, as they had done in the Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood in August.

Laurens (up 3 lb to 105p) took the May Hill Stakes, the first of the pair of Group 2 races on Thursday’s card. She was suited by the step up to a mile and did well to win given that she was held up in a steadily run race. Laurens has some size about her and would be worth a go in the Fillies’ Mile next time, with more improvement to come granted a well-run mile. Dark Rose Angel (102 from 82p) posted a much-improved effort in second, while Nyaleti (110) ran her race with no obvious excuses back in third.

It was also difficult to make up ground in the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes, and Melodic Motion (109+ from 109p) shaped well with this in mind, finishing tied for second with Aljezeera (108+ from 98p), who went about things much more kindly than she had done at York and looks as though she’ll improve again granted even more of a test. The winner Alyssa (109 from 107) benefitted from a good ride out in front but showed a tough attitude when she was challenged late on and is worth crediting with some improvement.