Neil Morrice Doncaster St Leger Festival Day 4 – 14 September 2025

DONCASTER ST LEGER FESTIVAL DAY 4 BEST BETS SUNDAY

Race 1 No8 STORMY MONDAY
Trainer: Ed Walker – Jockey: Tom Marquand

STORMY MONDAY displayed his liking for a mile and a quarter when scoring at Epsom for which a 4lb rise seems fair. If he can transfer that performance onto this more conventional track the son of Too Darn Hot can revel the challenges of another recent winner in ARBITRATION and the super consistent FOREST CAPER.

Prediction: 1st STORMY MONDAY, 2nd Forest Caper, 3rd Arbitration

Race 2 No5 NIGHTSINWHITESATIN
Trainer: Ed Bethell – Jockey: Archie Young

Since moving up to this mile and a quarter, NIGHTSINWHITESATIN has looked very much on her comfort zone. The Dark Angel filly is off a mark of 77 for her hat-trick attempt but might still be well treated, especially as her apprentice pilot knows her, and takes a valuable 5lb off. The dangers probably lie at the head of the weights. PROJECT GEOFIN cashed in on a lenient mark at Pontefract and supplemented that triumph off 6lb higher over today’s course and distance. He now needs to show that another 2lb rise is within his compass. OBITO ran into a handicap snip in King Of The Sea at Haydock, but this Ayr and Hamilton scorer will not find such a tartar in opposition today and should go close.

Prediction: 1st NIGHTSINWHITESATIN, 2nd Obito, 3rd Project Geofin

Race 3 No13 SARAB STAR (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Connor Beasley

SARAB STAR looms as a potential Listed or Group class performer running in a handicap and on that basis has to be taken seriously. Though unable to cross that divide on his second and final start as a juvenile, he made a very pleasing winning reappearance over this 1400 metres trip at Kempton from which he’s benefitted. This is only his fourth ever outing, and he gets the vote over INDIAN SPRINGS and SPELL MASTER. Indian Springs has looked the part in two successes from as many starts in 2025 but the handicapper has taken no chances with him. Spell Master was a super consistent operator last year but hasn’t been seen since the early spring, which suggests he’s had training issues. Nevertheless, he’s a smart performer who needs to be taken seriously, and in a good race for exotic wagering I would also include the James Fanshawe duo PIETRO and BACK IN BLACK.

Prediction: 1st SARAB STAR, 2nd Spell Master, 3rd Indian Sprngs, 4th Back In Black, 5th Pietro

Race 4 No6 POCKLINGTON
Trainer: Geoff Oldroyd – Jockey: PJ McDonald

Beaten in three blanket finishes to similar contests this season, POCKLINGTON deserves a change of luck and looks in a position to cash in today. The Blue Point colt is a closer, and just needs to be delivered with precision timing. COMMANCHE FALLS is closely matched with the selection on the book, having finished just in front of him on his latest start at York. The veteran can get into the shake-up here, while TEN POUNDS is one to closely monitor in market exchanges as he finished behind a subsequent Group 2 winner in back to back outings. Amongst the roughies PUROSANGUE could do well.

Prediction: 1st POCKLINGTON, 2nd Ten Pounds, 3rd Commanche Falls, 4th Purosangue

Race 5 No15 MOONJID
Trainer: Mike Appleby – Jockey: Adam Kirby

The novelty race of Leger week is the Legends race,Min which MOONJID may well hold the cards. On his first start for Appleby he attracted a welter of support only to denied in a photo. He’s probably going to find improvement in that, while he has recent Derby winning jockey turned horse preparation expert Adam Kirby in his irons. Furthermore the cut back to a shorter trip is unlikely to faze him. Jockeyship can mean plenty in this race which is why the Jimmy Quinn-ridden FINN IRONSIDE and Franny Norton’s mount SUSIE SIOUX can also go well. DOUBLE TIME is another to bear in mind at a double figure price.

Prediction: 1st MOONJID, 2nd Double Time, 3rd Finn IRONSIDE, 4th Susie Sioux

Race 6 JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION SCEPTRE STAKES (Group 3)

No9 JABAARA (Each Way)
Trainer: Roger Varian – Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa

The only Group race on this card is the most open Pattern race staged here this week. Amidst a lot of dead wood the one that could find what’s required is JABAARA. The Exceed And Excel filly was beaten only two and a half lengths into fifth in the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood as well as landing a Listed prize at Musselburgh and finishing second in the Group 3 Chartwell Stakes at Lingfield. She’s more likely than the vast majority in the field to show her true form, making her the choice ahead of LOU LOU’S GIFT and SPIRITUAL.

Prediction: 1st JABAARA, 2nd Lou Lou’s Gift, 3rd Spiritual

Race 7 No1 GETREADYTORUMBLE (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Tom Marquand

Granted his sheer consistency in sprint handicaps at the big tracks this summer, GETREADYTORUMBLE aid the go-to horse under top weight. A dual scorer at Brighton and Goodwood, he’s earned in each of his next three starts and looked unfortunate not to score at Newbury when after missing the break he was narrowly denied. That resulted in just a 1lb rise, which the grey is surely capable of surmounting. Furthermore he’s closely related to Dangerous who revelled in the mud, and any further rain would not be unwelcome. JER BATT, HIYA MAITE and REIGNING PROFIT are the others worth including in exacta and trifecta permutations.

Prediction: 1st GETREADYTORUMBLE, 2nd Reigning Profit, 3rd Jer Batt, 4th Hiya Maite

Race 8 BRAZILIAN BELLE (Each Way)
Trainer: Michael Dods – Jockey: Connor Beasley

BRAZILIAN BELLE brings a ring of consistency to the table for the nightcap in which the daughter of Coulsty should again trouble the judge along with HK FOURTEEN, ARNHEM and BONA FORTUNA

Prediction: 1st BRAZILIAN BELLE, 2nd Bona Fortuna, 3rd Arnhem, 4th HK Fourteen