3 minute read

Sam King has fired in 25/1, 40,1 and 10/3 winners across the last week and is back with three selections to kick off the Doncaster St Leger meeting…

Oxford Comma – Doncaster 3.35

On the whole, three-year-old fillies' have had the beating of their elders this season and the fact Ralph Beckett is happy to pitch Oxford Comma in the Group 2 Betfred Park Hill Fillies' Stakes this afternoon looks significant. 
An impressive winner of a Salisbury novice event over a mile and a quarter on her season return, the daughter of Nathaniel relished the step up to a mile and a half when defying the penalty on the Town Moore in June. 
The fact Ralph Beckett also has her entered in the Fillies & Mares Stakes on Champions Day suggests he holds this filly in some regard. There's no doubt that she needs to improve on the bare-form figures, but the step up to one-mile six-and-a-half furlongs looks sure to unlock further progress and with the older battalion not looking like the strongest of bunches, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see her remain unbeaten this season as she steps up to group level. 

Odds – 4/1

Intrusively – Doncaster 2.25

As expected, the valuable Weatherby's Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes race at 2.25 has attracted a large field and I'm hopeful that could bring out the best in Intrusively. 
Having chased home the subsequent Group 2 Vintage Stakes hero Aomori City on his debut at Nottingham, it was slightly disappointing that he failed to get his head in front in maiden company at Haydock and Ayr on his next two outings. 
Connections then took a plunge by running him in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and they were duly rewarded, with the son of Territories staying on strongly to grab the bronze medal at odds of 40/1. 
He looked badly outpaced that day on ground he may have just found slightly on the quick side. The forecast good going at Doncaster this afternoon should be perfect for Ed Bethell's charge, who also could be the type to appreciate being buried amongst runners in this big-field scenario. 
A facile maiden success at Nottingham last month will have done his confidence no harm and I still fully believe this colt has what it takes to make a splash in group races further down the line. 

Odds – 9/2

ANTE-POST

1000 Guineas (Newmarket) – Desert Flower 

The feature Betfred May Hill Stakes might not look like much of a punting event on paper, with Desert Flower a well-backed 5/6 chance to make it a perfect three out of three in her career. 
I fully expect Charlie Appleby's filly to oblige this afternoon. The daughter of Night Of Thunder looked like a filly right out the top drawer when thumping the more experienced Flight, who reopposed after a facile victory at Sandown, on debut at Newmarket (July) and she duly followed up in ready fashion over the same course and distance under the penalty. 
The 16/1 on offer for her for next season's 1000 Guineas looks more than fair and should she oblige in the style that I'm expecting her to this afternoon, I'd be expecting those odds to be slashed for Newmarket's fillies' Classic in May. 

Odds – 16/1