Horse Racing Tips: Robbie Wilders' Doncaster day one tips

bet365 News Team Updated: 09 Jun 23 12:58 Published: 06 Sep 22 17:52

It's the first day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster and Robbie Wilders from the Racing Post provides his three best bets after supplying a perfect two from two at York on Sunday.

3:00 Doncaster
Nurseclaire @ 12/1
1pt win

3:35 Doncaster
Umm Kulthum @ 5/1
1pt win

4:10 Doncaster
Union Court @ 8/1
1pt win

Nurseclaire can take care of field

The Leger Legends race (3:00) is always a highlight at the beginning of the St Leger festival and this season's running is as tricky as ever.

It is always difficult to know who among the former professionals might have an edge, but given Megan Nicholls is the most recently retired and has ridden at Doncaster more than the rest of the jockeys combined, she may have a slight advantage.

Nicholls rides Nurseclaire, who I am interested in regardless, and the pair get the vote.

The Alice Haynes-trained three-year-old was thrown into a couple of Listed races at two when formerly with Richard Fahey but didn't cut much ice in those, and she hasn't progressed as expected for Haynes this season, dropping to a mark of 70.

However, her last five runs on turf have been on good to firm ground and this slower surface could easily prompt a resurgence.

Nurseclaire ran to a Racing Post Rating of 81 on soft going at Beverley last season and if returning to that form should win.

The highest RPR awarded to a winner of this over the last decade was 79.

Kulthum to relish extra furlong in Spectre

Heredia looks short enough in the Group 3 Spectre Stakes (3:35) after a couple of disappointing efforts recently and Umm Kulthum is taken to get her career back on track upped to seven furlongs for just the second time.

The immediate impression was Umm Kulthum failed to stay seven furlongs when eighth in last season's Fred Darling on her sole try at the trip, but that was a long time ago on her seasonal return in a Classic trial.

She is worth another attempt at the distance.

This filly undeniably brings huge class to the table. She placed in the Group 1 Cheveley Park at two and was only beaten a length by the classy Rohaan in a Haydock Group 2 on her sole run on heavy.

That was the last time she encountered a slower surface and the rain should help her, while her recent seventh over six furlongs at York in a similar race is worth upgrading as she started slowly and put in some decent late work in the final two furlongs.

Juvenile joy in Scarborough

The final race of interest is the Listed Scarborough Stakes at 4:10 over five furlongs and the market might be underestimating the two-year-old Union Court.

The Ed Walker-trained filly's form ties in with The Platinum Queen, who slammed her at Goodwood in a course record time over the minimum trip two starts back.

My selection was best of the rest that day and The Platinum Queen showed the value of that form by running a gallant second to Highfield Princess in the Nunthorpe next time, and Union Court enhanced her own profile by stepping forward 10lb on RPRs when second at Newbury last month.

Union Court receives at least 22lb from the older horses and can make a bold bid from stall one under Saffie Osborne. That weight concession could be too much for standard setters Manaccan and Equilateral to deal with.