Ching Ching – let’s look for a winner to kick off Leger week

Doncaster selections Thursday 14th September

A later start to the week this year at Doncaster with the usual Wednesday card now shuffled back to Sunday. An eight race card kicks things off today, although from my perspective the interest is held back until much later in the afternoon.

Doncaster 3.35: Ching Shih

An open looking Group 2 for the distaffers. Given the prevailing soft ground the suggestion is CHING SHIH.

David Simcock’s filly raced beyond 12f for the first time at Newbury last time and ran a cracker in getting ultimately pretty close to Arrest. She was doing all her best work at the finish over 13f and there could be yet more to come over this extra furlong.

Soft going should not be an issue as she was an impressive winner of a juvenile novice at Newbury at the back end of 2021. She also made a solid reappearance on softish ground at Goodwood this year when an unfancied third in a listed race. I think this galloping track should play to her strengths and there does not look to be an unexposed 3yo in the line up to improve past her.

Doncaster 4.10: Iron Lion

Having attempted to make all in the majority of his races in novice company, IRON LION excelled when held up for the first time here last month and can translate that better form into a decent handicap today.

He had shown good early pace in his previous races but was not finding for pressure in the closing furlong once challenged. However he responded well to restraint here last time and might well have enjoyed much deeper ground than he had been used to. In the end he found plenty for pressure to see of Wonderwall by 3l.

The third home that day has since gone 2-2 in handicaps and the fourth was only narrowly beaten at Ascot at the weekend, so the form has stacked up well. In similar conditions today he can make use of a nice low weight.

Doncaster 4.45: City Streak & Rogue Sea

I am taking two against the field for this 12f handicap.

CITY STREAK has only run one bad race all season and that came on fast ground. A good winner on soft at the big May meeting at Chester, he was a fine second on faster going in the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar. However it was a return to softer conditions at Ascot last time that saw him get his head back in front.

He has a 4lb rise to contend with and 10-3 is a huge weight to carry, but given his consistency on this type of ground – his career record on softer than good reads 32211 then he must rate a very sound each-way selection.

ROGUE SEA started his career in style with a 5l soft ground win at Yarmouth in April, travelling with ease in the process. It was no disgrace to be second to Perfuse at Nottingham next time in bottomless conditions and he has had to race on faster ground since.

He won a modest novice at Ripon, but came up short in a big race at Haydock next time, albeit he was very badly hampered early on which did not help. We do have to forgive him a modest effort at Newbury last time, but that was down in trip and it might be that he was made too much use of and he did not take to front-running. Back on softer ground and back up to 12f might see him in a better light.

Recommended bets:

1pt each-way – Ching Shih – 3.35 Doncaster – 11/2 Skybet, William hill (1/5 odds 1st 4)

1pt each-way – Iron Lion – 4.10 Doncaster – 4/1 general

1pt each-way – City Streak – 4.45 Doncaster – 5/1 general

1pt each-way – Rogue Sea – 4.45 Doncaster – 9/2 Bet365

0 Comments

Leave a reply

©2025 FESTIVALS OF RACING - website created & maintained by 1LG.com web design

CONTACT US

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Sending

Log in with your credentials

Forgot your details?