YOU’RE going to need to clear a fair bit of space on your Sky Plus box for this weekend. There is top-class racing all over the place. Irish Champions Weekend here of course, St Leger weekend in Britain, Arc Trials weekend in France.

There is also the German St Leger at Dortmund, if you are so inclined and, just when you thought that that was it, there are a couple of Grade 1 races at Woodbine on Sunday evening, with Chicas Amigas and La Pelosa going in the Natalma Stakes. You might have to delete an Eastenders omnibus or two, and you’d better clear it with the kids before you delete those episodes of Henry Danger.

The inclusion of Lah Ti Dar in the William Hill St Leger at Doncaster adds an extra dimension. And it is not really surprising that John Gosden’s filly has usurped Kew Gardens as favourite.

She is a hugely exciting filly. She has raced three times and she has won three times. Impeccably-bred, she won her maiden on her racecourse debut at Newbury in April, and she looked like an Oaks filly when she won the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket in May.

She missed the Oaks, of course, but she looked as good as ever when she returned in the Galtres Stakes at York last month. Of course, that was just a listed race, against the fillies, and the St Leger is a Group 1 race against the colts, but she should stay all right, and there is no telling how good she could be.

The negatives are that she is short, and that this is a big ask for such an inexperienced filly. A mile and six and a half furlongs, up Doncaster’s unforgiving home straight, where there was a headwind yesterday, on easy ground. It could be a gruelling contest, and only one filly (Simple Verse) has won the St Leger (then lost it, then won it again) since User Friendly won it in 1992. Best odds of 7/4 are short enough.

By contrast 8/1 is big enough about Old Persian. The Godolphin colt is a horse who frequently goes under the radar, but he has improved with almost every run this season, and he won one of the key St Leger trials last time, the Great Voltigeur Stakes.

His one disappointing run this season was in the Irish Derby at the end of June, but he was held up that day in a race that the prominent racers dominated. He bounced back from that last time to win the Great Voltigeur.

It is true that Kew Gardens ran a fine St Leger trial in that York race under his 5lb penalty, but Old Persian carried a 3lb penalty, and he beat Kew Gardens by almost two lengths. You can expect Aidan O’Brien’s horse – winner of the Queen’s Vase and the Grand Prix de Paris – to progress from that run, and he is a big player in today’s race, but Old Persian really shouldn’t be more than three times his price.

Charlie Appleby’s horse has won four of his six races this season, the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot as well as the Great Voltigeur among them. He goes into today’s race with a nice progressive profile and, out of a Singspiel mare, a half-sister to Ribblesdale Stakes winner Silkwood, there is every chance that he will stay today’s trip.

It is a fascinating race, with Loxley going to Doncaster instead of to Longchamp for the Prix Niel, and with Southern France going to Doncaster instead of to the Curragh for the Irish St Leger. And Dee Ex Bee comes into it, stepping up to a stayer’s trip and racing on easy ground. It is a deep race, but the 8/1 that is available about Old Persian could represent the value of the race.

GOLDEN START

The day gets under way at Doncaster with the Portland Handicap, and Dakota Gold could run a big race in that. Michael Dods’ horse was a progressive sprinter last season. He won twice, he was never out of the first three in six runs, and he improved from a mark of 79 to a mark of 100.

It has taken him a little while to find his range this season, but he ran a cracker in the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon on his penultimate run, to finish second behind Gunmetal. He finished almost three lengths behind the winner that day, but the winner raced on the near side, as Dakota Gold won the ‘race’ on the far side, getting home in front of Growl and Ice Age and Spring Loaded. That’s strong sprint handicap form.

He was beaten last time at Thirsk, he could only finish third behind Muscika and Dalton, but he raced out on the wing that day, on the near side, and he looked a likely winner on the run to the furlong marker. He meets the winner on 4lb better terms today, and that gives him a big chance.

As well as that, he is by Equiano, and he should appreciate the easier ground today. His record on ground softer than good in the last two seasons reads 12237.

He has come down the handicap nicely this term, back down to a mark of 91, which is 9lbs lower than the mark on which he started off this term. It looks like he is running into form now, and he could be handicapped to run a big race.

Recommended

OLD PERSIAN, 1 point win 8/1 (generally)

DAKOTA GOLD, 1 point each-way, 9/1 (generally)