Nap of the Day: Hannon colt to book Betfred St Leger ticket

One of the most interesting races on Thursday comes from Doncaster, with a chance at Classic glory on the line.

My Nap of the Day goes in the win-and-you're-in contest, hoping to book their ticket for the Betfred St Leger in September.

Free entry to the Betfred St Leger? That's the reward - alongside £21k - for the winner of this 1m4f novice stakes at Doncaster on Thursday.

Five go to post for the win-and-you're-in event in South Yorkshire, hoping to book a ticket for the Classic contest in September.

Of those, it's Richard Hannon's STEM who stands out to me.

The son of Calyx fetched €120k at a breeze-up last May, four months prior to bolting up on debut over seven furlongs at Newbury.

He finished a whopping nine-and-a-half lengths ahead of his closest rival in Berkshire, and a further four lengths clear of the 88-rated The Fingal Raven. The further he went on what was heavy ground, the greater his lead became.

According to Hannon, jockey on the day Ryan Moore suggested that despite the impressive victory, seven furlongs is as sharp as his mount wants. "He probably is a mile-and-a-quarter horse," he said.

That provides optimism about him coping with the dramatic step up in trip here - while his ability to act in desperate conditions means the soft going at Donny will be no concern. That can't be said, at least not with confidence, about any of his rivals.

Of course, the fact he's been sidelined for 306 days is a concern. Clearly, he's not easy to train - the best ones often aren't - but I'm taking optimism from his trainer's comments to Racing TV prior to the Betfred Guineas Festival at Newmarket earlier in the season.

Hannon said of Stem, who was scheduled to run in a Listed contest won by subsequent Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Cosmic Year at HQ: "I love this horse and he has been going very well.

"He is a little bit different to the others as he is quite impressive when you stand and look at him. He looks a bit of a star and working wise he hasn't let us down."

The 49-year-old also name-dropped some major races, such as the Dante, German Derby and Irish Derby, as potential targets for the near-future, further emphasising the regard in which he's held.

I don't know the reason he didn't run, nor why he's been absent since, but hopefully he's fit and ready to go on Thursday as he's given every chance in this company, despite a 6lb penalty for that Newbury success.

Andrew Balding's The Cursor is rated 85 but I think that's an overestimation. His form reads 5270 and while the latter two defeats have come in classy races - the Betfred Blue Riband Trial at Epsom in April and the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot last month - he was comprehensively beaten.

Arabian Poet is the other runner with form in the book. Charlie Appleby's son of Dubawi showed little in two runs to date and this is his first appearance in 274 days, during which he was gelded. Major improvement is needed from him.

I suppose you can't rule out the two newcomers, Blue Martini and Codiak, but as far as I'm concerned they don't make huge appeal on paper.

I think they'll all struggle to put it up to a fit Stem, who should only get better and better the more experience he gains on and off the track.

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