Kailani better Park Hill Stakes bet than Queens filly

The second day of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster really kicks into gear, with the Park Hill Stakes and the Sceptre Stakes being the first Group races of the four-day event.

The Park Hill Stakes, a Group Two contest for non-juvenile fillies and mares over the St Leger trip of one mile, six furlongs and 132 yards, has attracted nine declarations, among them Queen Elizabeth II`s three-year-old Estimate.

Bred by The Aga Khan, Estimate has won on two of her four racecourse appearances, including when drawing clear inside the final furlong of the Group Three Queen`s Vase over two miles at Royal Ascot three months ago to post a five-length victory over Athens and eight others on soft ground.

Estimate`s latest run, however, is more revealing of her chance in the Park Hill Stakes on forecast good-to-firm ground at Doncaster. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained filly was third in the Group Three Lillie Langtry Stakes on good going at Goodwood, finishing three lengths behind Sir Henry Cecil`s Wild Coco and just adrift of 25-1 shot Jehannedarc.

Ridden over three furlongs out, Estimate made headway under pressure but was one paced inside the final 200 yards and was no match for Wild Coco, whom she meets again in the Park Hill Stakes. The Queen`s filly is two pounds better off with the four-year-old daughter of Shirocco but it is difficult to see her turning the tables over the St Leger distance.

Not that Wild Coco looks the best bet in the Park Hill Stakes, either. Sir Henry Cecil`s charge has put her best hoof forward on softer ground than she is likely to see at Doncaster and the form of the Lillie Langtry Stakes does not look all that hot because of Jehannedarc`s runner-up finish.

No, the value looks like Kailani, the Godolphin runner who is dropping in class after being highly tried in the Group One Oaks and the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes over what seemed to be inadequate trips for the three-year-old.

Kailani stayed on in finishing seventh behind Was at Epsom and seventh behind Princess Highway at Royal Ascot. She has a touch of class as demonstrated by her seven-length victory over Hazel Lavery at Newmarket in May and a Group Two race over more than a mile and three-quarters could be her thing.

The Sceptre Stakes is a Group Three contest over seven furlong which, like the Park Hill Stakes, is restricted to fillies and mares aged three years and over. Connections of 18 female thoroughbreds have paid up to race in it.

It is worth giving another chance to Sentaril, who flopped as the well backed 13-8 favourite for the Summer Stakes at York, finishing 13 lengths behind Gracia Directa in seventh spot. The Knavesmire event may have come too soon after the three-year-old daughter of Danehill Dancer`s superb Jersey Stakes run. The odds are that her trainer, William Haggas, will have got her back on track for her next assignment.

Bunbury Cup winner Bonnie Brae and Gamilati, who won the Cherry Hinton Stakes as a juvenile, appear to be the main threats to Sentaril and are the ones to back if one is unwilling to give the benefit of the doubt to the pick.

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13/09/2012     © Frixo 2024