Horse Racing Betting Tips: Lah Ti Dar primed to hit the high notes for Lloyd-Webber
WHAT a season it has been for John Gosden.
Even though the master of Clarehaven is yet to win a Classic this term, he has bounded into an unassailable lead in the trainers’ championship after a plethora of Group Ones, including Stradivarius’ historic £1million bonus.
It could be a huge day for the stable, with Roaring Lion a warm order for this evening’s Irish Champion Stakes, but first up I can see LAH TI DAR giving him a fifth win in the St Leger, the world’s oldest Classic (3.35pm).
This impeccably bred daughter of Dubawi, owned by Lord Lloyd-Webber, was strongly fancied for the Oaks before suffering a setback in May.
Patience has always been one of Gosden’s strong suits and his filly produced a staggering performance to win the Listed Galtres Stakes at York last month by 10 lengths after her enforced layoff.
Obviously a race like that is a world away from a St Leger, but you couldn’t fail to be impressed with the display.
It looked as though she would skip this race in favour of the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on Sunday, but with Paris basking in warm temperatures, connections chose to send her to Doncaster.
The unbeaten sister of Da Re Mi has looked top notch ever since winning her maiden at Newbury in April by six lengths, so it was a massive shame that she couldn’t line up in the Oaks.
However, she has bounced back in style, and with fillies having a strong record in the St Leger, she looks the most likely winner at 7/4with Ladbrokes.
Ballydoyle love to target this race and if things had gone differently this season we could have been talking about Saxon Warrior’s historic bid for the Triple Crown.
That story wasn’t to be and Aidan O’Brien’s number one hope is Kew Gardens according to the bookmakers.
The son of Galileo made an inauspicious start to the season with three straight defeats before comfortably landing the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.
He then followed up in a weak renewal of the Group One Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp, and ran a perfectly respectable race to be a close third in the Great Voltigeur at York.
The stable were under a bit of cloud last month, but are back in rude health, so Kew Gardens will undoubtedly have plenty of supporters.
Although he has to be respected, I think his stablemate SOUTHERN FRANCE is a better value proposition at 11/1 with Ladbrokes.
He was as green as grass when running second behind his stablemate in the Queen’s Vase and has been given plenty of time to mature since then.
You’d have to say he was a little disappointing in the Irish St Leger Trial at the Curragh last month, yet he still stayed on at the death and I get the feeling there is plenty more to come.
He’s perhaps not quite streetwise enough to win this, but looks a cracking each-way bet and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was to win next year’s Ascot Gold Cup.
Another strong stayer who looks hard to keep out of the frame is DEE EX BEE at 14/1 with Coral.
Mark Johnston’s inmate has only won two of his 11 career starts, but he was second behind Masar in the Derby, with Roaring Lion back in third, so that represents very solid form.
He’s yet to race on ground with soft in the description this term and as long as conditions don’t dry out too much, I think he can reward each-way backers.
Things couldn’t have gone much better for Charlie Appleby this campaign and he has two strong chances tomorrow.
Old Persian won the Great Voltigeur in fine style, but the extra two furlongs here has to be a doubt on breeding.
Stablemate Loxley shouldn’t have a problem with the trip and comes here on the back of two decent wins at Deauville, so can’t be discounted.
Bill Esdaile’s St Leger 1-2-3
1 Lah Ti Dar
2 Dee Ex Bee
3 Southern France