Talking Horses: Latest news and best bets in our daily horse racing ...

The latest news and best bets in our daily horse racing blog, plus your chance to win tickets to the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup

Today?s best bets, by Will Hayler

There are true racing legends and then there are those lining up in the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends race at Doncaster today, but seeing as it?s all for a good cause let?s try and get into the spirit on the first day of the St Leger meeting.

Certainly, the organisers have done well to produce as competitive a field for the contest with just 3lb separating the official ratings of the best and the worst and the 16 runners. It?s hard to recall as competitive a classified stakes ? similar contests are often beset by a huge gulf of ability among the horses taking part.

However the same sort of line-up didn?t stop about 30 lengths separating first and last in this race 12 months ago, with Charlie Swan getting a fairly easy time in front aboard Miami Gator, who quickened up two furlongs out and made all.

Hopefully, some of those taking part today will have less-conservative riding instructions and we?ll see a truer-run contest, although Gay Kelleway has tweeted of her plans to spike Julie Krone?s drink before the race in order to ensure that she, at least, comes out top of the lady riders? division, so things are sure to be competitive.

George Duffield still rides out every day for his wife, trainer Ann Duffield, and if it comes down to fitness, he could still outstrip some of his rivals today. His mount, Dialogue (3.45), has been expensive to follow this season and was sent off at just 1-2 to win a Redcar handicap despite looking to have plenty to find on the formbook when trained by Geoff Harker.

But this choicely bred ex-Maktoum inmate clearly shows something on the gallops, as he also went off favourite on his first start for Ollie Pears next time out. This bigger field represents a different kind of challenge for Dialogue, but he should be suited by the return to a mile and I would certainly rather back him at a double-figure price than trust him again at shorter odds.

Group Therapy (3.10) hasn?t always had much luck this season, but he?s perfectly capable of winning the Scarborough Stakes if the breaks come his way.

The only previous time Jamie Spencer was on board, the pair finished fifth, beaten three lengths, in Haydock?s Temple Stakes, just a length behind subsequent King?s Stand winner Prohibit, while his subsequent third to Masamah at Goodwood has also been franked since by runner-up Amour Propre.

Drawn against the stands? rail, he should get the cover he wants in the early stages this afternoon, before Spencer brings him through late on with what will hopefully turn out to be a winning challenge.

Well backed to win over six furlongs at the Shergar Cup meeting, the drop back in distance counted against Firebeam (4.50), but in any case the form of that race is working out well with the winner Morache Music and runner-up Desert Law (both receiving weight from the selection) boosting the form since.

Returned to seven furlongs here, Firebeam can fulfil the ample promise of his previous York victory over that trip.

Tipping competition, day three

Wiggy12 scored his second double in two days, taking the lead thanks to Yair Hill (11-4) and Jeu De Roseau (7-2). Robmct charged into second with a slightly better double, pairing Jeu De Roseau with Bowsers Brave (7-2).

Today, we?d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.10 Doncaster, 4.30 Carlisle, 4.50 Doncaster.

This week?s prize is a pair of Club enclosure tickets to see one of the great sprint handicaps, the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup on Saturday 17 September (a week on Saturday), kindly provided by the sponsors. Those of you who don?t win can buy tickets here.

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of ?1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -6.

In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.

For terms and conditions click here.

Good luck!

Standings after day two

wiggy12 +19

robmct +16

stefanjames1979 +14.50

VolleVlug +7.25

WalthamstowLad +7

23skidoo +6 (can?t make Ayr)

jaygee1 +6

slackdad38 +6 (can?t make Ayr)

goofs +3.50 (can?t make Ayr)

Ormrod76 +3.50

JahLion +2.75

suckzinclee +2.75

Lameduck +2.25

diegoisgod +2.25

KarlXTurner +2.25

MauriceNL +1.50

noodlearms +1.50

BearRides +1.50

Mulldog -1 (has no Ayr)

tanias -1 (can?t make Ayr)

millreef -1

TL127 -1 (can?t make Ayr)

chipsolderer -1

Harrytheactor -1

Kperson -1

moidadem -1.50

londonpatrick -1.50

melonk -1.50

chiefhk -1.50

snowy81 -1.50

carl31 -1.50

Farmy11 -1.50

lonewolfmcquaid -2.25

sangfroid -2.25

johne5knuckle -2.25

chris1623 -2.25

William36 -2.25

zzz62zzz -2.25

sandiuk -2.25

Fixxxer -6

xwireman -6

JimmyDeuce -6

SmokingGun1 -6

forest240475 -6

factormax -6

Copshaw -6

stee33 -6

unfaircomment -6

Tampabay -6

chanleyman -6

ToffeeDan1 -6

Shrewdette -6

spiller -6

zizkov123 -6

Ellandback -6

TeddyFrost -6

spudpt -6

natwho -6

orso -6

coma88 -6

kenty58 -6

tom1977 -6 (can?t make Ayr)

captjawed -6

Click here for all the day?s racecards, form, stats and results.

Post your racing-related comments below.

Sport: Sportblog | guardian.co.uk

Source: http://www.daily-play.com/talking-horses-latest-news-and-best-bets-in-our-daily-horse-racing-blog-3/

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