Dave Nevison's Thursday tips: best bets at Doncaster
By Dave Nevison
Last Updated: Wed 9 Sep 2026
Top tipster Dave Nevison shares three selections for the first day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster.
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1.50 Doncaster: Night In Vegas
After winning his first two starts in good style, Eve Johnson Houghton justifiably ran Night In Vegas in Group Two races at both Ascot and Goodwood this summer.
He didn’t win either, but acquitted himself well in both and last time out won one of these valuable sales events in efficient style last time out.
Today’s race contains a few more promising types than the newmarket event but he is still the clear form pick and he is deservedly favourite to win another large pot.
2.25 Doncaster: Besieged
I put up Besieged as the Nap last Sunday, but he was pulled out of his engagement at York late in the day.
Harry Charlton has declared him for this competitive three-year-old handicap at Doncaster, so clearly if the was a problem the trainer thinks it was a very minor issue and I am sticking with him.
The Dubawi colt has progressed with each run so far and was mightily impressive when breaking his maiden by 14 lengths at Salisbury on heavy ground.
I am pretty sure he has been kept away from fast summer ground since that run but this son of a 1000 Guineas winner is potentially better than a handicapper and could well be a force this autumn. The Charlton form is in excellent form at present.
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5.20 Doncaster: Itica
Itica won a seriously valuable seller at Goodwood to break his maiden last time out and might well be able to follow up under a 6lb penalty now that he is switched to handicaps for the first time.
The Andrew Balding gelding has obviously returned from a midsummer break in very good form and was evidently well suited by the step up in trip on easier ground last time out. He obviously goes well for Oisin Murphy and is off bottom weight here.
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