Saturday updates: Ryan Moore mounts well supported at Doncaster including St Leger favourite Continuous

Ryan Moore got on the board at Doncaster's St Leger meeting when helping Michael Bell's Red Zone Hero justify 3-1 favouritism in Friday's finale and the jockey has been supported to secure more success on Saturday.

Moore rides Continuous in the Betfred St Leger (3.35) and last month's Great Voltigeur winner has strengthened into 11-4 (from 3-1 favouritism) to follow up that Group 2 York success in the Classic. A couple of Moore's other rides have also received support as well as Aidan O'Brien's market leader, including Simply Sondheim in the PJ Towey Construction Handicap (4.10)

The George Boughey-trained four-year-old disappointed when last seen at Newmarket in May, finishing last of six having been sent off the 5-2 favourite. However, a better showing is expected at Doncaster as, having been 5-1 on Saturday morning, Simply Sondheim is 11-4 to make amends.

Moore is riding Simply Sondheim, who is 4lb higher than his last winning mark, for the first time and he could form part of a handicap double for the rider with Sonny Liston, a solid favourite in the closing Hippo Pro 3 Sealant Handicap (5.20).

Sonny Liston has not scored since making at successful debut at Sandown when with Charlie Hills in July 2021. However, now with Ralph Beckett, the four-year-old has demonstrated some solid form in major big-field handicaps, including when fourth of 19 under Moore at York last time.

Sonny Liston is able to compete off the same mark of 102 here and has been trimmed from 9-2 to 11-4 with bet365.

Posted at 1.30pm

Royal runner Desert Hero drifting in St Leger

Desert Hero is on the drift in the Betfred St Leger (3.35) market as he attempts to become the first royal winner of a Classic since Dunfermline won the Leger in 1977.

The William Haggas-trained son of Sea The Stars is out to 7-1 having been a general 5-1 chance on Saturday morning.

Desert Hero relished the step up in trip to provide the King and Queen with their first Royal Ascot winner in the King George V Stakes, getting up late under Tom Marquand to deny Valiant King by a head.

He followed up that success with another narrow victory over Chesspiece in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes last time but has been lacking support for this hat-trick bid.

Tower Of London, beaten at odds-on in the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy when last seen in July, has been clipped into 15-2 (from 9), with Jim Crowley coming in for a rare ride for Aidan O'Brien. Tower Of London's stablemate and outsider Denmark is 40-1 (from 50), while Arrest, the choice of Frankie Dettori in his final ride in a British Classic, is a 9-2 chance.

On Dettori, who seeks his seventh St Leger success, Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: "The Frankie Dettori in his final British Classic factor doesn’t seem to have kicked in yet and his mount Arrest and Continuous are easy enough to back.

"In contrast, Arrest’s stablemate Gregory is proving popular despite being well beaten at odds-on by Continuous in the Great Voltigeur.”

Market movers

1.50
Iberian 7-2 (from 4)

2.25
Call Me Ginger 6-1 (from 13-2)

3.00
Sandrine 3 (from 7-2)

3.35
Continuous 11-4 (from 3)
Desert Hero 7-1 (from 5)
Tower Of London 15-2 (from 9)
Denmark 40-1 (from 50)

4.10
Simply Sondheim 11-4 (from 5)

5.20
Sonny Liston 11-4 (from 9-2)

Posted at 1.30pm

'It's not dried much overnight' - Doncaster going remains predominantly soft

There has been no going change at Doncaster on Saturday morning, with the ground soft on the round course as it has been for the opening two days of the Leger meeting.

It is soft, good to soft in places on the straight course although no rain is expected on the day.

Clerk of the course Paul Barker said at 8.20am: "The jockeys said yesterday it was still softish and tacky ground and it’s not dried much overnight. There's been no change in the going.

“We're soft, good to soft in the straight. We have put the rail out on the round course after the first two days so from the ten-furlong start to the turn for home we are on fresh ground.

"The weather today looks like being mainly light cloud; we might get the odd sunny interval this afternoon with a light breeze."

Posted at 8.50am

James Doyle: I really like Chesspiece

James Doyle is hoping testing conditions at Doncaster can help Chesspiece reverse the form with a couple of his rivals in the St Leger.

The son of Nathaniel has improved with each of his six runs according to Racing Post Ratings and is a general 12-1 chance to provide Simon and Ed Crisford with their first Classic success.

The father-and-son Newmarket training combination enjoyed a significant breakthrough last month when Vandeek supplied them with a first Group 1 victory in the Prix Morny at Deauville.

Chesspiece, who won a Newcastle maiden on his only start as a juvenile, was bought by Godolphin from Rabbah Racing after making a successful handicap debut on Dante day at York in May.

Chesspiece is Godolphin’s sole representative in the St Leger, with the owners bidding for a record eighth win in the Group 1. Success for Chesspiece would be extra special for Simon Crisford, given that he is the first horse he has trained for the global thoroughbred organisation to which he was racing manager until 2014.

Classic Cliche was Godolphin's first St Leger winner in 1995, with Nedawi, Mutafaweq, Rule Of Law, Mastery, Encke and Hurricane Lane others to score.

Doyle is no stranger to Classic success, having landed his first British Classic on the Godolphin-owned Coroebus in last year’s 2,000 Guineas before following up the day after on Cachet in the 1,000 Guineas.

Speaking on the Racing Post’s weekly YouTube show What A Shout, Doyle said on Chesspiece: “I really like this horse. I think on official figures he definitely needs to raise his game, but he’s pretty consistent, very solid and he won nicely at York.

“He ran a really nice race in the Queen’s Vase on ground that was a bit quick for him and then he had a nice confidence boost at Hamilton. He also ran a good race in the Gordon Stakes, just behind Desert Hero, and the key to him is definitely getting his toe in – the more rain the better.”

Chesspiece was beaten only a neck by Desert Hero at Glorious Goodwood having held the lead inside the final half-furlong and Doyle added: “He’s quite enthusiastic. I’ve been in front on him before and he can be difficult to gauge because he’s enthusiastic.

“Looking back at Goodwood, I kind of wish I let him roll through the gears a bit earlier than I did because he responded quite well.”

Desert Hero becomes a Classic candidate when beating Chesspiece in the Gordon Stakes

Chesspiece (blue): aiming to reverse the form of his Gordon Stakes defeat to Desert HeroCredit: Edward Whitaker

While Chesspiece does not have much to find with Desert Hero on that performance, he was comprehensively beaten more than five lengths by Gregory on good ground at Royal Ascot, with John and Thady Gosden’s Queen’s Vase hero 9-2 to confirm the form.

Doyle said: “At Ascot behind Gregory, I actually sat close in behind Frankie and his horse picked up slightly better on what we know was fast conditions. My fella didn’t let him go but the fact he finished well to finish third shows he’s got a good level of ability for a race like this. If the ground continues to be soft then it will be welcomed for him and he can improve on his effort.”

Doyle had been due to ride Akhu Najla for KHK Racing Ltd, the owners who have entrusted the jockey to ride Vandeek in the Middle Park Stakes, in the 1m2f handicap (4.10). However, Roger Varian has taken out his four-year-old son of Kingman, who had been chief market rival to La Yakel at the time of his withdrawal, due to unsuitable going.

Posted at 10am