St Leger Festival: Sky Sports Racing's John Hunt selects his horses to follow on day one at Doncaster

Sky Sports Racing presenter John Hunt nominates the horses he will be keeping onside at this week’s Cazoo St Leger Festival at Doncaster, live on Sky Sports Racing.

Intervention

1.50 Wednesday - Meriel Tufnell Apprentice Handicap

The opening race on Wednesday is a handicap for apprentice riders and Intervention looks another cracking acquisition for the Horsewatchers owners group, and can win again.

They know what a reliable rider Frederick Larson is so presumably they feel that his 3lb claim goes a long way to offsetting the rise generated by his last two victories at Chelmsford and Yarmouth. My sense is that he will take a hell of a lot of stopping in the Festival opener.

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Absolute Dream

3.00 Wednesday - Ubettabelieveit Leger Legends Classified Stakes

Sammy Jo Bell won the Leger Legends race back in 2019 and did so for Richard Fahey aboard Dubai Acclaim and she rides in the same red and white silks, again for Fahey on Wednesday and has a real chance aboard Absolute Dream who looked a horse right back to approaching top form at Epsom last time out.

He was held up there but came home like a rocket and that run backed up a really solid Catterick victory. He would be fine also with a bit of rain around as he's won on soft ground before. Go, Sammy Jo!

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Umm Kulthum

3.35 Wednesday - Japan Racing Association Sceptre Fillies' Stakes

I'm really looking forward to Fahey attempting more success in the fillies and mares JRA Sceptre Stakes over seven furlongs, this time with Umm Kulthum.

This four-year-old has had a light season and although this is a really solid race, she is used to racing against better horses. It was fascinating that Fahey had wanted her to take her chance in the Haydock Sprint Cup (an on the day withdrawal due to fast ground) last weekend and this offers the chance of swift compensation.

Two runs back she was considered good enough to take her chance in the Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot and she has other really eye-popping form alongside that having finished a close 3rd in the Cheveley Park Stakes behind Alcohol Free and last season running another stormer behind Rohaan at Haydock.

The unknown is the seven furlongs with her but with such limited evidence so far, I think she'll be fine with it.

XJ Rascal

4.45 Wednesday - Vertem Nursery Handicap

XJ Rascal is well worth another chance to hit the winners board having been unlucky not to win his last two starts. He was nabbed right on the line at Doncaster last time out whilst he was even more unfortunate at Glorious Goodwood the time before, running a huge race having blown the start.

A pound rise in the weights won't stop him and I believe moving up in distance to a mile is the sensible way forward. He had the option of staying over seven furlongs in the days other nursery but comes here instead.

Bell Rock

5.20 Wednesday - I Love Julie Parkes Handicap

The final shout for Wednesday is a bit risky, but there is little doubt that Bell Rock is now a very well handicapped horse and perhaps worth chancing in the concluding mile and a quarter handicap.

It's been two years since he has carried a sub-100 rating and now might be the time to capitalise. I'm well aware that he hasn't won since May 2021 and patience will be wearing thin amongst many punters but, two runs back at Glorious Goodwood, Bell Rock was well fancied for the Chesterfield Cup but he got struck into there and can be forgiven.

He has a big chance here.

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