Top commentator Simon Holt previews day two of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster with Nyaleti well fancied in the May Hill Stakes.
Recommended Bets: Simon Holt, Doncaster Leger Meeting Day 2
2pts win Nyaleti 2.25 Doncaster at best-morning price
2pts win Melodic Motion 3.00 Doncaster at best-morning price
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On form, NYALETI is the dominant runner in Thursday's Group Two William Hill May Hill Stakes at Doncaster, and Mark Johnston's filly is taken to bounce back from a below-par effort in France last month.
After a resounding five-length success in Ascot's Princess Margaret Stakes, there was no question that the daughter of Arch deserved her place in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville, but she never travelled with her usual confidence and, while not totally disgraced, she was one of the first beaten finishing just sixth of the eight runners behind Unfortunately.
It's possible that six furlongs on fast ground was just too sharp for Nyaleti that day, despite an earlier second under such conditions behind Clemmie in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket in July while it was good to soft ground at Ascot, and she had appeared to stay seven furlongs well enough when splitting September and Masar in the Chesham Stakes at the Royal meeting previously.
Out of a dam who won over a mile as a two-year-old, one suspects that James Doyle's mount will get the trip and, if returning to anything like the form of those runs prior to travelling across the Channel, she looks the one to beat.
On ratings, Tajaanus is the chief threat (though with 11lb to find officially) and her last two wins at Sandown and Newmarket were achieved on good to soft ground. These conditions are likely to be deeper still but Richard Hannon's filly is going the right way.
Stable companion Billesdon Brook made a successful start in Group company when landing the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood and is another who seems likely to handle the ground and stay a mile albeit with plenty to find on form with the selection.
Laurens should also handle what could be a stamina test at the trip and, while no match for the winner, confirmed the promise of her debut win on this course when second to Polydream in the Group Three Prix de Clavados at Deauville last month.
Later on, a tight Group Two DFS Park Hill Stakes can go to the progressive MELODIC MOTION who bids to give her jockey Oisin Murphy, trainer Ralph Beckett and owners Qatar Racing a second successive victory following Simple Verse 12 months ago.
On a four-timer when stepped up in class at Goodwood early last month, she ran a blinder considering her inexperience to be beaten just half a length into third behind Endless Time and Dubka in the Lillie Langtry Stakes with Natural Scenery a close-up fourth and Wild Irish Rose fifth in a bunch finish.
Clearly there is precious little between those that re-oppose here, but Melodic Motion could be open to greater improvement and the fact that she is a half sister to the mud-loving Sussex Stakes winner Here Comes When suggests she may relish the likely ground conditions.
Since Goodwood, Natural Scenery finished some way ahead of the unplaced Dubka when a creditable third behind Nakeeta in the Ebor at York and could prove the chief threat, though Dubka will be much more at home on the surface here.
If it turns into a complete slog, which is entirely possible, then Sweet Selection is the most proven out-and-out stayer in the line-up, but Hughie Morrison's Cesarewitch and Sagaro Stakes winner has shown all her best form on faster going than she is likely to face here, and showed little in the Goodwood Cup last time.