Sunday’s Racing Tips: Best bets and odds at Doncaster

It’s the fourth and final day of Doncaster’s St Leger Festival and I’ve found four final tips as the curtain comes down on the action at Town Moor.

A day featuring several competitive big field handicaps begins with this 5f dash for which 16 have been declared.

The short-priced favourite Hypnotised has the sort of chance that his price on betting sites suggests, but he’s plenty short enough when he’s been taken out of two recent races due to slow ground, which he’s likely to get again here.

The hat-trick seeking Maelstrom is clearly in great form and still looks feasibly treated after his latest Ascot success, so he is much respected. However, I’m going to take a chance on one at a bigger price here, in CANONS HOUSE.

The Mick and David Easterby-trained gelding hasn’t won for over a year but proved he’s well up to Class 2 company with that AW success at Southwell.

He’s well treated based on his Beverley second in May, which came from 3lb higher. While he was below par last time, that can happen with these sprinters and he has each-way claims based on either of his two runs prior to that. At 20/1, he looks tempting, especially on good or good to soft ground.

Doncaster tip 1: Canon’s House – 1pt each-way @ 20/1 (Bet365)

Completely Random is worth short-listing and could have a big say from his current mark, while Lakers and Blue Brother are others of interest on horse racing betting sites, but the suggestion is ASUKA.

Admittedly, he was a beaten favourite at Chester (7½f, good to soft) last time and despite being tightened up by the front two in the closing stages, he did look beaten fair and square. However, I think this drop back to 6½f will suit, given how strongly he travelled when winning at Thirsk (7f, good) last month.

It didn’t look to be the good to soft ground that beat him at Chester, where he was dropped in and had to go around the outer to mount his challenge. He’s up another 2lb, but on that Thirsk evidence, I would not be surprised if there is more to come and he is taken to bounce back.

Doncaster tip 2: Asuka – 1pt each-way @ 6/1 (Ladbrokes)

Now they’ve had a sighter over 7f, I’d like to side with MILITARY CODE in this, as I do think he’ll improve for a second bite at the cherry.

He was a big price at Newmarket last time, where he probably got going a bit too soon and consequently, he ran out of petrol and lost a couple of places close to home.

One thing he’ll need to prove is that he can act on slow ground but his dam Wishfully certainly did, so there is more than just hope in that regard. If anything, it might mean that they go a slower pace that he is more able to lay up with an conserve energy for the business end.

He’s only had nine starts and I don’t think he’s by any means fully exposed yet, while his trainer again has his string in fine form, so he has a few ticks in the right boxes.

Doncaster tip 3: Military Code – 1pt each-way @ 9/1 (Ladbrokes)

Valedictory would be a big player if at his peak but he’ll have a bit to prove here and with more rain in the forecast, one of those things could be how he operates on soft ground (he was a non runner when it turned heavy on his most recent intended start).

One who will handle some cut, if the forecast is correct, is FANTASY WORLD, who enjoys some ease in the ground and also acts well enough if it dries up to suggest that he could return to form.

He won in Listed company over a similar trip last autumn but then disappointed in three starts for Nicky Henderson in the other code and also on his return to the Flat for Andrew Balding at Chester last time.

He’s been dropped 1lb since then and he’s on a dangerous mark back in handicap company, if his highly skilled trainer can get him to bounce back. He’s a big price for his ability and I think a small each-way play is the way to go.

Doncaster tip 4: Fantasy World (Doncaster, 15.40) – 1pt each-way @ 12 /1 (Betfred)

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