2009 ST LEGER AT DONCASTER BETTING TIPS

Kite Wood is emerging as the clear favourite as post-time for the 2009 St Leger draws closer. Top bookmaker 888 currently lists the Saeed Bin Suroor charge as a 9/4 favourite. Bin Suroor has also entered stablemate Mastery, who carries a 12/1 price. The chief competition is set to come from 11/4 Changingoftheguard and 4/1 Monitor Closely. Father Time is just off the pace with a 5/1 price. John Oxx's Mourayan sits at 8/1 with the two other contenders being the ironically-titled Above Average at a lengthy 50/1. AP O'Brien's Von Jawlensky is at 66/1. Kite Wood is a justifiable front runner who is 2 from 2 and 2 from 4 on the year. This looks to be a horse in some solid form and he scored at Newbury on August 15 in the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer against the likes of Halicarnassus and Fiulin, in a very international field, so this brings an extra bit of confidence into the equation. He blew away the field on that day and ground out a tougher victory in the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket on July 9. Changingoftheguard has run in some competitive races this year and hasn't finished outside the top 3 at any point this year. He has been running against fields of 14 and 19 and boasts a 2/5 record this year with victories at Down Royal and Navan back in June. He put in a solid 2nd place performance, losing to the talented Sesenta in the York Ebor. I don't know if he's better than Kite Wood on his day, but he will be top 3 guaranteed so I will be placing him in my exotic bets. Monitor Closely is a widely-tipped runner who triumphed in the Group 2 Voltiguer Stakes at the York Festival. His form earlier in the year had been a bit indifferent, but he's been running in quality races like the 2000 Guineas, the Tattersalls Timeform 3 Year Old Trophy and the Dante Stakes. He is 2-8-4-3-5-1 on the season and will be looking to build on his big win less than a month ago. He is another good selection that will work as an each-way bet for many. Father Time finished 3rd in the Great Voltigeur but scored an impressive win in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot in June. Eddie Ahern was aboard for both trips and provides a steadying quality that I like. He hasn't finished outside the top 3 this year and tends to perform well against small groups. I'm unconvinced whether he actually has the quality to win this race against this type of opposition though. I think Kite Wood is a solid selection, but I'm waiting for some price fluctuations before I back him heavily. I do, however, think Monitor Closely has a shot at this if anybody makes a mistake.