Lucky 15 Tips: Day 1 of the Betfred St Leger Festival

It's the opening day of the Betfred St Leger Festival, from Doncaster. Great excitement here at HQ, and we're all looking forward to four days of high-class flat action with the world's oldest Classic on Saturday as the proverbial icing on the cake.

No guesses then as to where Thursday's Lucky 15 tips will come from - it's Town Moor all the way, and the eight-race South Yorkshire jamboree starts at 13:15. The very best of luck if you're playing between now and Sunday, and as always, have fun and enjoy the wonderful sport on view.

Horse Racing Odds

Fast Racing Results

14:25 - Aylin @ 6/1

Group 2 May Hill Stakes, for two-year-old fillies.

The selection Aylin is a daughter of St Mark's Basilica out of a Dark Angel mare. Trained by the prolific Karl Burke at Coverham in North Yorkshire, she's appeared on three occasions so far, and in good company.

Short-head second on debut in a good York novice (6f), then a ready winner of a Goodwood maiden upped a furlong in trip, while last time 18 days ago (again on the Downs) she was 2.5l behind winner Precise in a G3.

On good-to-firm ground that day she was outpaced before running on well, and I can see her appreciating the easier conditions she's likely to encounter at Donny. Her sire excelled with cut in the ground, and her dam Angelic Light took a Listed contest at HQ on soft.

Moon Target, who re-opposes today, was a length better than her at Goodwood but the ground factor could be crucial in reversing the form - and our hope is far better value in my book.

Fantastic race with which to kick off our Lucky 15.

15:00 - Santorini Star @ 6/1

I was present to see this one win at York a few weeks ago and the four-year-old Golden Horn filly is very much on the up, recording an empathic personal best on the Knavesmire.

Santorini Star is trained by the deadly William Haggas (27% strike-rate in the last 14 days), and will be ridden by stable jockey Tom Marquand. The Park Hill is a G2 and as such represents a significant step up from that Class 2 handicap, but she looks like a Group winner-in-waiting to me and there was more in the tank at the finish 22 days ago when last seen.

She travelled beautifully and found the necessary acceleration exactly when she needed it, moving smoothly through the gears and staying on with authority. This is a red-hot contest and is as mouth-watering a prospect as anything on the card.

15:35 - First Principle @ 7/2

It's that gentleman Mr Haggas again, a proud Yorkshireman who likes little more than to have winners in his native county at these important gatherings.

His entry in this 10f handicap is First Principle, a beautifully-bred Kingman three-year-old, and I'm guessing the 8st 6lb allocated burden is a little light for Tom Marquand (lowest weight over the last 12 months 8st 7lb), because the brilliant Silvestre De Sousa has been given the riding assignment (he's done as low as 8st 3lb over the same period, and will have no problems on that front).

Our selection has run on three occasions so far, winning two and a close second in the other. He's making his handicap debut in a Class 2 this afternoon after keeping novice company thus far, and the yard must have a very high opinion as to his potential.

When last seen 38 days ago at Windsor he dotted up at long odds-on and connections evidently feel this huge step up is within compass. He gets 10f for the first time after appearing previously over a mile, and there's a helpful Giant's Causeway stamina influence on the dam's side (plus the dam herself, Guilty Twelve, was a G3 winner over 11f in the USA).

On a day overflowing with them, another stellar contest to savour.

16:43 - McMurray @ 9/2

Regular readers will know I admire the combination of trainer George Boughey and jockey Billy Loughnane greatly, and they team up again here in this two-year-old nursery.

McMurray has run on three occasions so far, and the Mehmas colt is progressing very nicely. Best run so far last time, 29 days ago in a Ffos Las maiden, and he's been given a mark of 83.

That doesn't look excessive, and he also gets a few pounds from likely rivals in the Appleby and Burke yards that could prove to be crucial.

He's stepping up to a mile today from seven-furlongs-and-change, and though bred to be fast he certainly wasn't stopping last time in Wales.

This is an example of a Lucky 15. If you can improve upon my selections (of course you can), then go for it!

The odds can fluctuate between publishing our pieces and race-time. As a guide, a £0.50p win Lucky 15 on today's selections, at the prices, and assuming all four won, would return around £1,050 for your total £7.50 stake.

Fred, 'The Bonus King,' invented the 'Lucky' series of bets and their bonuses. My colleague Adam has set out all you need to know with this handy guide - take a look by clicking here.

Horse Racing & Greyhound bets only. Excludes Virtual Racing. 5x odds on Lucky 63. 4x Odds Lucky 31. 3x Odds Lucky 15. All selections must run. Paid in cash if only 1 winner. T&Cs Apply.

Lucky 15 tips from Betfred Insights.