Hugo Palmer Blog | St Leger Festival Day One
11 Sep 2024
Coral Racing Ambassador, Hugo Palmer, previews his five runners on the opening day of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster, including four in the two year old Stakes race with a prize pot of £300,000.
14:25 Doncaster
We run four in this richly endowed 2-y-o race, as I feel the owners have paid plenty to enter their horses, and so if we qualify to run, and the race is right for the horses, then we should be running, particularly as there is prize money down to tenth place.
Seagoalzo and King Of Angels
Seagolazo and King Of Angels are our two with official ratings, and off their respective marks of 82 and 81, they do have a little bit to find with some of their rivals. Seagolazo has been gelded since his last run, and he will wear blinkers for the first time here, and his recent homework suggests he will improve for both changes.
King Of Angels has won at Doncaster, and ran very well in a competitive handicap at York last time, finishing two places ahead of Seagolazo, and I think he was fortunate to be dropped a pound, I wasn’t expecting that. I also don’t have any issue with him dropping back half a furlong in trip, it won’t hinder him.
Due To Dance
Our other pair are both maidens, and I expect both to step forward well from their debut runs. Due To Dance ran well at Chester, and was only beaten 2 ¾ lengths for all that he finished last of the five, so I think he will have sharpened up a great deal.
Popeye Doyle
We took Popeye Doyle to Deauville for his debut, and he only missed out on prize money by one place, so hopefully he can collect some here. He’s a nice horse based on his homework, and I’m sure he will be winning races, I can certainly see him outrunning his big odds here.
I couldn't pick a stand-out candidate from my quartet, and there are certainly no clues to be gained from jockey bookings, it’s a case of booking the best available, but as I say there is plenty of prize money up for grabs, so I hope we can collect some of it.
16:10 Doncaster – Grey Cuban
Our other Doncaster runner is Grey Cuban, and I thought he looked quite a big price. That said, he is one of the more exposed runners here who followed two Chester wins with a sixth place finish at York. He’s clearly not as well handicapped as he was, but I hope he can win more races, even off his current rating.
Hugo Palmer, Coral Racing Ambassador
14:25 Doncaster
We run four in this richly endowed 2-y-o race, as I feel the owners have paid plenty to enter their horses, and so if we qualify to run, and the race is right for the horses, then we should be running, particularly as there is prize money down to tenth place.
Seagoalzo and King Of Angels
Seagolazo and King Of Angels are our two with official ratings, and off their respective marks of 82 and 81, they do have a little bit to find with some of their rivals. Seagolazo has been gelded since his last run, and he will wear blinkers for the first time here, and his recent homework suggests he will improve for both changes.
King Of Angels has won at Doncaster, and ran very well in a competitive handicap at York last time, finishing two places ahead of Seagolazo, and I think he was fortunate to be dropped a pound, I wasn’t expecting that. I also don’t have any issue with him dropping back half a furlong in trip, it won’t hinder him.
Due To Dance
Our other pair are both maidens, and I expect both to step forward well from their debut runs. Due To Dance ran well at Chester, and was only beaten 2 ¾ lengths for all that he finished last of the five, so I think he will have sharpened up a great deal.
Popeye Doyle
We took Popeye Doyle to Deauville for his debut, and he only missed out on prize money by one place, so hopefully he can collect some here. He’s a nice horse based on his homework, and I’m sure he will be winning races, I can certainly see him outrunning his big odds here.
I couldn't pick a stand-out candidate from my quartet, and there are certainly no clues to be gained from jockey bookings, it’s a case of booking the best available, but as I say there is plenty of prize money up for grabs, so I hope we can collect some of it.
16:10 Doncaster – Grey Cuban
Our other Doncaster runner is Grey Cuban, and I thought he looked quite a big price. That said, he is one of the more exposed runners here who followed two Chester wins with a sixth place finish at York. He’s clearly not as well handicapped as he was, but I hope he can win more races, even off his current rating.
Hugo Palmer, Coral Racing Ambassador
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