Yesterday’s Review

1pt win Carry The Flag (103) – The selection couldn’t get to the front the way he did last time out at Deauville as Fast Track set the early pace. He never looked threatening and was being pushed along at halfway. Ryan Moore eased off a long way from home and this was a performance to put a line through.

 

0.5pt e/way Crownbreaker (114) – The selection looked underestimated beforehand and so it proved as she ran a cracking race to just be pipped at the line by the winner. She raced prominently and just failed by a neck to get up for the win. A fine performance and there should be another win in her going forward. Result 2nd 20/1 adv…16/1 SP (Rule 4 10p)

 

0.5pt e/way Tumishi (101) – A disapointing performance from the selection who looked to be coming with a decent challenge late on but appeared to hang fire and weakened into seventh place beaten 4.75 lengths.

 

Saturday’s Advice

An excellent day’s racing at Leopardstown and Doncaster with the Irish Champion Stakes and St Leger the big races of the day.

I found better value in other races on the card and decided to leave those two contests alone.

COLLECTING COIN/SINDAGAN (7f Hcap) – Leopardstown hosts a quality card for Irish Champon Stakes day and the (2.10) Premier Handicap looks an exciting puzzle to solve. The former selection has looked transformed since being purchased for 33,000gns by connections of the Jennie Candlish stable from Jessica Harrington. The four-year-old gelding recorded a career best (110) timefigure over 7.5f at Chester on stable debut under the welter burden of 10dt 2lb. A keen going type he raced in touch of the leaders before making good headway over two furlongs out and getting on top at the line by a length and three quarters. The strength of the contest has been shown recently with Woodstock, Supreme Clarets (twice) and Giant all winning since.

Last time out he faced a very difficult task over the same course and distance from stall 13 and found himself with a mountain to climb from the rear. He found just the winner too good as he posted the fastest closing sectionals of the field to finish runner-up by a half length. The handicapper has only raised him 3lb and with Billy Lee booked and what seems a decent enough draw in stall 7 (although double figure draws have won 8 of the last 10 runnings of this contest) he looks an improving type to stay on the right side of.

The latter selection found the slow pace against him last time out at Cork, but it is his second place finish behind Bamako Beach over 7f at Fairyhouse that would indicate that he could be well handicapped from a mark of 94 at the moment. The winner has since shown that he is also an improving type having won over 7f at Cork last time out by 2.75 lengths from Benevento. The runner-up that day is in opposition today, and on a line through the winner may struggle to concede 8lb to the Johnny Murtagh trained three-year-old. Last year’s winner Rahmi races off a 10lb lower mark, but it is noticeable that stable jockey Ben Coen prefers the latter selection. There looks to be plenty of pace on with Benevento, Krasimir, Mirsky and LL Koulsty all likely to go forward.

 

GREEN IMPACT (12f Group 3) – The betting for the (3.15) Leopardstown is dominated by short priced favourite Purview who has shown himself to be a bit of a revelation this season since rattling off a hat-trick at the Curragh. The ease with how he travels through his races has been the most noticeable trait of his victories, and his backers can feel comfortable in the fact that they have landed on the form horse of the race. However, it has been reported that the Breeder’s Cup Turf is the horse’s main target this Autumn, and today’s contest might be the time to take him on since he is returning from a 76 day break.

With Gaucher and Arabian Crown set to make the running it should at least be a truly run contest. The selection is a Leopardstown specialist who was won three times at today’s venue and was just worried out of the win by a short head last time out from Ethical Diamond over course and distance in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes. A career best (116) timefigure on that occasion reads well in the context of today’s race and a reproduction of that effort should see the son of Wootton Bassett go close.

 

FALLEN ANGEL (8f Group 1) – Betting for the (3.55) Leopardstown Group 1 Matron Stakes is dominated by the big two, Blue Bolt and Precise, who take each other on for the third time since July. This will be Precise’s seventh race of the season, and I am wondering if the two of them might be worth taking on with last year’s winner representing a bit of value.

Blue Bolt’s (113) timefigure at Newmarket when winning the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes was her best of the season andthe way she travels through her races would indicate that there could be even more to come. I feel the selection has been underestimated in the market considering she easily beat the favourite in last year’s Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes over the mile at Newmarket. The runner-up has improved on Racing Post Ratings since this season, but not on timefigures so far (by my reckoning).

It has been a quiet season so far for the selection who usually shows her best in the Autumn. Connections may have initially felt a bit disappointed having been beaten last time out in a Listed race but there were a couple of factors that give a bit of hope for another step forward for today’s contest. Her (113) timefigure was very strong for the grade of contest and considering this was her first run in 86 days (as connections were keen to avoid “rattling ground” during the summer), her defeat can be put down to being a bit “ring rusty” on the day. She raced prominently before taking up the running three furlongs from home but eventually weakened into third place beaten a length and three quarters.

At the prices on offer I am willing to see if last year’s winner can come forward again and show that she still retains all her ability as a four-year-old.

 

CHECKANDCHALLENGE (8f Hcap) – This seven-year-old was the subject of a late gamble last time out at York from 20/1 into 10/1. Unfortunately, jockey Callum Shepherd managed to get the blindfold caught in the cheekpiece, and the horse lost all chance at the start having been left many lengths behind. With a normal exit from the stalls the selection looks one to still be interested in as he gets to race off a career low handicap mark once again. His (110) timefigure behind The Lost King two runs back would give him every chance for today’s (4.15) Doncaster over the straight mile.

The form of that race has been franked since with the winner looking very unlucky not to have won the Group 3 Superior Mile Stakes at Haydock last time out. The selection was last seen over course and distance finishing runner up to Dancing Gemini in a Listed race back in March 2025 and with Blue Courvoisier, Scoville, River King and Henlein in opposition the race may just set up nicely for the William Knight trained hold up performer.

 

TONY MONTANA (10f Hcap) – Similar comments apply to this six-year-old for today’s (4.48) Doncaster who caught the eye when flying home over 10f at Glorious Goodwood behind Al Aali from a nightmare draw in stall 18. Conditions were not to his liking last time out, and although it has been a while since his last victory in 2024, he was just beaten a head by another of today’s rivals Thunder Run over 10f at York back in May 2025. He meets that in-form rival on 18lb better terms (taking apprentice Toby Moore’s claim into account) and with a bit of pace to aim at from Bunyola Bay and Port Of London he looks worth an interest to put in another solid performance.

 

AVIATRICE (8f 60y Hcap) – This four-year-old filly was noted at Haydock last month when not getting a clear run through in a Listed race behind Calendar Girl. Jockey Clifford Lee accepted his position late on having had no luck down the inside and eased right off when hampered again late on. The good news is that her handicap mark has remained untouched for tonight’s (6.10) Leopardstown, and the form of her previous effort when beaten a half length by Loughrea has been franked with that one taking the Irish Cambridgeshire at The Curragh since.

The price is where it should be but she looks worth siding with considering her improving profile. Favourite Rebel Wave looks very short in the betting considering she has been drawn on the inside and may struggle to get a clear run at the business end of the race combined with the fact that the form of her recent victory at Gowran Park has yet to be franked from six runners.

 

0.75pt e/way Collecting Coin (8/1 William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral 5 places) 2.10 Leopardstown

0.75pt e/way Sindagan (10/1 Paddy Power, Skybet, 9/1 Ladbrokes, Coral 5 places) 2.10 Leopardstown

0.75pt e/way Green Impact (11/2 William Hill, 5/1 general) 3.15 Leopardstown

0.5pt e/way Fallen Angel (10/1 Betvictor, Coral, 9/1 general) 3.55 Leopardstown

0.75pt e/way Checkandchallenge (14/1 William Hill, Betfred, Betvictor 5 places) 4.15 Doncaster

0.75pt e/way Tony Montana (8/1 general 4 places) 4.48 Doncaster

1pt e/way Aviatrice 15/2 (William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral 5 places) 6.10 Leopardstown