Free racing tips: Matt Brocklebank's Value Bet preview and recommended bets for Doncaster on Saturday

Recommended bets, Saturday September 12

1pt win Sandret in 1.15 Doncaster at 16/1

1pt e.w. Koncheck in 2.25 Doncaster at 14/1

1pt win Urban Icon in 3.00 Doncaster at 16/1

1pt e.w. Subjectivist in 3.35 Doncaster at 18/1

For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record

Saturday’s Pertemps St Leger Stakes has attracted a decent field numerically but doesn’t look the classiest edition of the race and thorough stayer SUBJECTIVIST is the one to be on.

Aidan O’Brien’s trio - Santiago, Dawn Patrol and Mythical - are the only three runners to have even been placed in a Group One en route to Town Moor, with the former as likely as anything to go off favourite given his profile and connections.

Santiago’s current price is perfectly reasonable, having already won the Irish Derby, as well as the Group Two Queen’s Vase over a distance just shy of the Leger trip, but he’s not a genuine Ballydoyle star by any means and looks worth opposing on balance following a 46-day break since Goodwood.

With Pyledriver and Hukum needing to prove themselves over a strongly-run mile and three quarters, as well as lacking anything resembling meaningful Group One form, the race does look wide open.

Mohican Heights is a bigger price than Subjectivist, despite beating him by two lengths in a Listed race at Salisbury last year, but Mark Johnston’s horse has taken his form to new levels since stepping up in distance this season and rates a far more reliable betting proposition.

From two outings so far over a mile and six, the half-brother to last year’s Leger second Sir Ron Priestley (also trained by Johnston) has produced a couple of seriously good performances.

Firstly, he failed by a length to give the now 95-rated Favorite Moon 17lb (20 if you include Cieren Fallon’s claim at the time) in a Haydock handicap, before slamming 106-rated filly Cabaletta by 15 lengths - conceding her 3lb - in Goodwood’s March Stakes last month.

So while he lacks Group One form himself, a revised rating of 109 going into his first top-class assignment looks more than justified, and one on which he can continue to build.

Subjectivist was only third to Hukum at Royal Ascot and has twice seen the back of Pyledriver as well, but he’s had excuses for most of his defeats throughout another busy campaign and, given the family ties, this weekend has presumably been in Subjectivist’s diary from the start of the season.

He’ll get a straightforward, prominent ride from evergreen Joe Fanning - seeking his first Classic success as he approaches 50 later this month - and may not face too much pressure up front given O’Brien outsider Mythical is usually quite slow to get away from the stalls.

Underfoot conditions continuing to dry out through the week is arguably a small negative for the selection, but not many Johnston runners don’t enjoy a bit of good ground and all things considered it’ll be a surprise if he’s not still right in the reckoning when it matters most. An each-way bet at 18/1 (Hills, Coral 1/5 1,2,3) seems good business.

It’s going to take a horse with a considerable amount of back class to beat A Momentofmadness who, despite Friday support for Arecibo and Danzeno, looks almost certain to top the market come of the off in the bet365 Portland Handicap.

Charlie Hills’ sprinter was sixth in this race in 2017, won it in 2018 and went close to repeating the feat when second only to subsequent July Cup winner Oxted 12 months ago.

Those efforts came from official marks of 95, 99 and 95 so he’s really well treated having been dropped another 2lb to 91 following his latest Goodwood third in July.

He rates a pretty solid option at the head of the betting and could get a bit shorter, but the one I’m happy to oppose him with at the prices is Clive Cox’s KONCHEK (14/1 Hills 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6), who made little impact in the race last year but could only now be circling back to top form.

The son of Lethal Force was a very smart two-year-old, finishing second to Advertise in the July Stakes and a close fourth in the Richmond Stakes. Like plenty of sprinters before him, he struggled at three but has gradually found his feet again in handicaps this time around after being gelded last winter.

The return to form has obviously coincided with the handicapper loosening his grip, and in a sense he’s got it all to do again now after a 3lb hike back up the weights, having won at Salisbury last month.

But a revised mark of 97 is still 9lb lower than his peak juvenile rating and Cox reaches for a first-time visor in a bid to eke a little more out of him. It’s an interesting switch for a last-time-out winner and one which suggests the horse may have given the impression he had a bit more than the official half-length margin up his sleeve at Salisbury.

What was most encouraging about that performance was that he settled really well on the heels of pace-setter Caspian Prince, having been too keen out in front at Ascot in July.

The change of tactics may only be slight, but a fractionally more patient approach could work wonders in Saturday’s big-field cavalry charge, and I quite like his draw in stall one, with plenty of the early pace low-to-middle courtesy of Meraas (8), Justanotherbottle (9) and Yimou (13).

A Momentofmadness is drawn 10 and he’s usually right on the speed too so I don’t fancy the chances of Soldier’s Minute or Jawwaal from 22 and 21 respectively, while respected hold-up horses like Stone Of Destiny and Orvar might struggle to get the necessary toe into the action towards the stands’ side.

Adam Kirby – who replaces Hector Crouch in the saddle - can hopefully keep close tabs on the leaders before playing Konchek when the out-and-out five furlong specialists begin to feel the pinch over the extra 143 yards on offer here. There are six places with Sky Bet and Hills and that looks the route to take with him.

It’s not hard to pick holes in a handful of the market leaders in the bet365 Park Stakes, with three-year-olds Molatham and Wichita looking flattered by respective ratings of 118 and 111, while the returning Limato is clearly a Newmarket specialist (both tracks).

One Master is a smashing filly but was a touch below her brilliant best when beaten three and a half lengths by Safe Voyage at York, where she may have been feeling the effects of Goodwood. She got away with quick ground at the Glorious meeting but did so only narrowly and it wasn’t a particularly strong Group Three for fillies and mares only.

She’s against the boys (plus Breathtaking Look) again here and the value could lie with Richard Hannon’s URBAN ICON.

He got a bit lost on bottomless ground in a hot renewal of the Celebration Mile won by Century Dream a fortnight ago but I can excuse him that, especially after his unlucky second under a big weight in the Golden Mile prior to that was close to a career best.

He’s a keen-going sort and does get a mile fine, but can benefit from a drop back to seven furlongs given his three career wins have come at this trip and twice over six furlongs as a youngster.

Quicker ground is definitely in his favour and he just appears underestimated considering he ran right up to his mark (110) only two starts ago.

The other one I’m keen to have a small dart on at Doncaster comes before the ITV cameras get rolling, with SANDRET (16/1 Hills) given another chance in the Sky Sports Racing HD Virgin 535 Handicap.

He won a small Classified Stakes here last September over 10 furlongs and although he’s never actually won in handicap company, does look feasibly treated now he’s been eased to a handy mark.

The drop from 91 to 85 comes on the back of three unplaced outings in 2020 (non-runner a couple of times due to unsuitable ground) but there was definitely a bit more spark to his effort at Newcastle last time.

It turns out he faced a really tough task there, the winner Audarya going on to cause a shock in a French Group One, while fourth home Dark Jedi has since been second to Alfaatik at York and filled the same spot in the Old Borough Cup at Haydock. The sixth Cockalorum has performed really well in warm races at the same tracks too so it was a fair run in fifth from Sandret.

The drop to a mile is a bit of a gamble but it’s one that appeals as he’s a strong-travelling, hold-up horse who was beaten a nose at Newmarket last August (rated 80 at the time) on his last try at the trip and there’s likely to be an even pace on offer with Teston and Overwrite on the lead and Matthew Flinders also into the mix for a prominent pitch to help set it up for a closer.

Posted at 1600 BST on 11/09/20

Click here for the full Value Bet record

Irish Champions Weekend video previews

Responsible gambling

We are committed in our support of responsible gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

Sky Bet's responsible gambling tools are detailed here and if you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, or visit begambleaware.org.

Further support and information can be found at GamCare and gamblingtherapy.org.