Richard Hughes and Sunsprite set to shine at Doncaster
– Youth can triumph over experience as juvenile Sunsprite is fancied to take a starring role on day one of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster today.
Richard Hughes has taken the brave route with this colt in opting to go against some established older horses in the Listed D C Training And Development Services Scarbrough Stakes, but on the bare numbers, his decision makes perfect sense.
Sunsprite arrives with a rating of 99 having enjoyed a fruitful campaign that has included victories at Bath, Salisbury and Chester before having to settle for third on his first attempt at Listed level last time out.
That Ripon race did not really pan out in his favour, but he kept on at the death and deserved
London
credit for that.
Sunsprite gets upwards of 8kg from each of his rivals which puts him very well in indeed, particularly given it looks as though dropping back to 1000m might be another positive factor.
He will have to contend with some battle-hardened rivals, but Sunsprite can rise to the challenge.
Spirit Of Appin can bring up her hat-trick in the EBF Breeders' Series Fillies' Handicap.
She clashed with a couple of decent fillies in her first two starts, but eventually got her head in front at Lingfield last month before showing plenty of spirit to win on her handicap debut.
While she only won by 0.50 lengths at Ffos Las, Spirit Of Appin looked as though she still had a bit in the tank and the handicapper might not have her measure just yet.
Euginio can take full advantage of a dip in company in the William Hill Leading Racecourse Bookmaker Conditions Stakes.
He put in some decent placed efforts in Listed races at the start of the season but has lost his way a bit of late, with this appearing an excellent opportunity to get back on the right track.
Ted Durcan can emerge best of the gang of familiar riders in the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Classified Stakes.
He only retired in February of this year and in Ian Williams' Central City he must have an excellent chance of making a relatively swift return to the winner's enclosure.
The Right Choice can be just that in the Andersons ``Quality For Your Home'' Handicap at Carlisle.
Winner of a competitive little heat on his return in May, The Right Choice subsequently disappointed when down the field on his next start in June and it is perhaps telling that he has not run since.
It was quick ground on that second occasion at Doncaster, but he has shown his best with cut in the ground, so Carlisle's likely easy going should be right up his street.
Sassie is the pick in Kempton's 32Red Handicap after a perfectly satisfactory effort in third on her latest start.
She found the odds-on favourite far too good that day, but she still has some decent bits of form in the book. –