Horse Racing Tips: Got To back this Leger fancy

It is a belting afternoon of racing action in Britain and Ireland on Saturday, with Group One contests taking place at both Doncaster and Leopardstown. The meeting at Doncaster is a premier racecard, highlighted by the Group One St Leger. There is also Group Two action in the form of the Champagne Stakes and Park Stakes. 

Meanwhile at Leopardstown, the Matron Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes are the Group One events and there is plenty of hot supporting action on the first day of Irish Champions Weekend. There are also meetings taking place from Lingfield, Chester, Doncaster, Bath and Musselburgh. Our bets focus on the premier meetings, including one in each of the St Leger and Irish Champion Stakes. 

2.25 Doncaster - Cover Up @ 15/2 

The Portland Handicap is Doncaster's biggest sprint prize of the year and it comes before some top-notch autumn sprint handicaps. Most of those are over six furlongs, and this slightly speedier race over five and a half provides the best opportunity for COVER UP. 

This horse has been knocking on the door in big six-furlong handicaps. He was fifth in the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood, having been the last horse to come off the bridle. He then went to York, where he was forced to sit behind a wall of horses while others got rolling. 

A drop back to five furlongs might have been ideal, but the Portland is often won by sprinters who specialise at either distance. Cover Up is drawn near pace, and a lot of in-form horses, on the near side and has plenty in his favour. All he needs is for the gaps to open so he can show his true colours. 

3.25 Leopardstown - Economics @ 5/4 

The Irish Champion Stakes is one of the races of the season. All it is missing is City Of Troy, and he is sorely missed because ECONOMICS has been his biggest challenger by proxy ever since he won the Dante at York in May. 

Economics bled from the nose that day, which his connections claimed from a mishap at the stalls. He was not seen for three months after, but when he did return he won convincingly at Group Two level in France. Once again, he showed a devastating turn of foot that should have left any middle-distance horse in Europe worried. 

With Economics, there is still a lot that strictly counts as potential. But those with the eyes for it saw star quality at York and Deauville. If he can stay in his best physical shape, he can win this before finishing the season by challenging City Of Troy for champion honours.  

3.40 Doncaster - You Got To Me @ 9/2 

Aidan O'Brien thinks he can win the St Leger with his reserve squad, and he might well be right. Illinois is a classy sort, who has already won at Royal Ascot and been second in the Grand Prix de Paris. Jan Brueghel and Grosvenor Square are more typical St Leger types and strong backup options. 

The decision to supplement Irish Oaks winner YOU GOT TO ME looks an inspired one. Third place normally gets you back your supplementary fee and that should not be too difficult a task in this seven-runner field. 

You Got To Me is also progressing. She ran in the Oaks and Ribblesdale, when she was too raw to do herself justice. But she took a big step forward at the Curragh and built further on that when finishing second in the Yorkshire Oaks last time out.  

She stays on at the end of her races like the St Leger will be perfect for her and she can repel the Ballydoyle battalion.