Horsebetting.com experts give their three best bets for the day three of the St Leger Festival on Saturday, 15 September. Too Darn Hot, ante post favourite for next year’s Epsom Derby, rates the NAP on the seven-race card in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes. D’Bai is a real 7f specialist and is our NB in the Group 2 Park Stakes. Meanwhile, in the ultra-competitive Portland Handicap that gets proceedings underway Golden Apollo makes plenty of each-way appeal. For full details on these horses, read our in-depth preview with Doncaster betting tips for September 15.Too Darn Hot can sizzle again in Champagne StakesToo Darn Hot has looked something exceptional in winning both his starts to date, so looks a worthy red-hot favourite to get the better of Dark Vision and land the hat-trick in the 7f Group 2 Champagne Stakes for juvenile colts at Doncaster on Saturday (15:00). This John Gosden trained youngster is currently ante post favourite for next year’s Epsom Derby and is fully expected to further enhance his Classic claims.
The beautifully bred son of Dubawi, out of top class mare Dar Re Mi, put in a sensational performance on debut at Sandown when beating Rowland Ward by seven lengths. After being produced to take up the running two from home by a motionless Frankie Dettori, he showed a terrific turn of foot to shoot clear and win in effortless fashion.
It was a most taking display and one which suggested Too Darn Hot was a very exciting prospect who needed keeping firmly on side. That view was confirmed in no uncertain fashion when he landed the Group 3 Solario Stakes at the same venue two weeks ago.
After racing keenly in the early stages, Too Darn Hot ran green rounding the home bend and momentarily had to be shaken-up be Dettori to hold his position. In a matter of strides he was back on the bridle, and when asked to quicken approaching the final furlong the response was immediate.
He eventually won easing down by four lengths from Arthur Kitt, who was unbeaten in two starts going into the contest, and had Confiding – who had previously finished a solid three-length third to Dark Vision in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood – a further 3 3/4 lengths back in third.
On a line through Confiding, he has nothing to fear from Dark Vision and that one also has to give him 3lb. It makes this look Too Darn Hot’s for the taking and he is thus impossible to oppose; so, despite his very cramped odds, he has to rate the standout bet on the card and among our Doncaster betting tips for September 15.D’Bai value to deliver in Park Stakes D’Bai looks decent value to land the 7f Group 2 Park Stakes (14:25) now stepped back up in trip. This Charlie Appleby trained gelding has a tremendous strike rate over the specialist trip, having won three from seven over it and also made the frame on another occasion.
In the last of those successes at Haydock, the four-year-old dug deep to fend off Larchmount Lad by a head in the Group 3 John Of Gaunt Stakes. The runner-up has since landed a Group 2 contest at The Curragh, so that gives the form a solid look.
D’Bai backed that up with a solid sixth of 12 to Merchant Navy in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes over 6f at Royal Ascot when beaten just over five lengths, before finishing a fine 1 1/2 lengths fifth of 12 to Sir Dancealot in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood.
This Godolphin owned son of Dubawi has also been far from disgraced in his last two starts at Deauville, finishing sixth of 20 to Polydream in a Group 1 over an extended 6f and fourth in a Group 3 over 6f. The form of those races read well in the context of this contest, so now that he has his optimum conditions D’bai looks worth a bet to get back on the scoresheet for a yard in terrific form at present. Golden Apollo an each-way punt in PortlandIn the 6f Portland Handicap that gets proceedings underway (13:50), Golden Apollo looks weighted to go well and terrific each-way value. The Tim Easterby trained four-year-old is one from one over course and distance and has posted some really solid efforts this season in hot contests.
They include when fourth of 11 to Gilgamesh over 7f at York and an excellent second of 14 to stable companion Flying Pursuit at the same venue two starts back off a mark of 94. Golden Apollo made good headway from the rear to throw down a strong challenge inside the last before being unable to find any extra close home and the pair pulled 3 1/4 lengths clear of the field, so that gives the form a really solid look.
He also shaped a bit better than the bare result suggests last time out when 11th of 20 in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon from a poor draw when he was not knocked about once it was clear he would not be winning. He is able to race in this off the same mark of 99 and that is just 4lb higher than when last successful.
Golden Apollo has also been placed of it, so he has every chance from a handicapping perspective on the pick of his form. Other pluses are that he is versatile as regards ground and has proven form in big field handicaps; so, in a race which should be run to suit, he had to be the each-way punt in our betting tips for St Leger day at Town Moor.Your Next Bet
