THERE'S never any shortage of runners at Doncaster's four-day St Leger meeting and this year the bookmakers will once again hold the upper hand unless punters proceed with the utmost caution.

My advice is to wait until Saturday's Leger before going for the layers' throats by lumping on Bandari in the final Classic of the season. In the meantime the aim is to "bet small" and try and build up a decent kitty for the weekend in which case a modest wager on Smart Predator (2.50) is advised.

As usual a maximum 22 go to post for the Portland Handicap - all-in-all one of the most fiercely competitive sprints of the entire season. But at least in siding with Smart Predator there is a specific line of attack to follow insofar as he's slipped 10lb down the weights since this time last year.

Having won four races plus over fifty grand's worth of prize money during a most lucrative 2001 campaign, John Quinn's flying grey has stalled badly this term with a string of depressing duck eggs against his name in the left hand column of the race card.

Such is life in a sport where the well-worn clich of "it's all of game of peaks and troughs" really does apply. Having hit the heights and plumbed the depths over the past 12 months, now could be the time for Smart Predator to stage a revival especially in view of the fact he showed much more of his old sparkle at York just seven days ago.

As far as the big bucks are concerned, the £200,000 St Leger Yearling Stakes is a race all trainers, owners, and jockeys want to win.

Not surprisingly some extremely smart two-year-olds take their place in the line-up including Richard Hannon's talented quartet, Mister Links, Monsieur Boulanger, Gems Bond, Presto Venture, plus Monsieur Bond (2.15) from Bryan Smart's stable.

Smart, currently based in Lambourn, is reportedly poised to relocate to Les Eyre's yard atop Sutton Bank on the North Yorkshire Moors. He'll be a welcome recruit to the northern training ranks, even more so if he can scoop the pot with Monsieur Bond, who has won his last two races with embarrassing ease.

The Group 3 Rothmans Royal Park Hill Stakes is nearly always one of the best mares and fillies races on the calendar and this year's renewal is no exception.

Barry Hills, by far and away the most successful trainer at the meeting with 16 winners over the past five years, goes in double-handed with Alexander Three D plus Bright And Clear.

Both look solid contenders, however, it's a long way up the Town Moor home straight and the one I fancy to out-battle the Hills' duo is Love Everlasting (3.25).

Love Everlasting just couldn't go the pace in the Group 1 mile-and-a-half Yorkshire Oaks at the Ebor meeting, nonetheless she made significant late headway confirming that today's extra two furlongs will suit.

The one to be interested in at Epsom is Tychy (4.05), who showed he was on an upward curve by scoring in workmanlike fashion at Brighton a fortnight ago.

The Stuart Williams-trained three-year-old has been lucky with a handy low draw, which along with his assured ability to handle the track makes him the one to beat in the Royal Bank of Scotland Stakes.

* Rothmans Royals St Leger favourite Bandari delighted connections in a gallop on the High Moor at Middleham yesterday.

The three-year-old colt worked over a mile and a quarter in advance of his tilt at the world's oldest Classic at Doncaster on Saturday.

And there was no one happier than than Bandari's work rider Deirdre Johnston, wife of trainer Mark.

''It was absolutely fantastic,'' she enthused. ''He worked with Zindabad and Systematic over a mile and a quarter round the grass.

''It was a good swinging canter upsides. He was on the bridle right to the top.''

And Mrs Johnston said she was counting down the days to the big race.

''I can't wait until I get him tucked up in his box every day. I wish it would hurry up.''

And Bandari's hopes were futher boosted when Kazzia's Triple Crown hopes were finally ended with the news that the filly will miss the St Leger.

The winner of the Sagitta 1000 Guineas and Vodafone Oaks developed a foot abscess over the weekend and will not now be able to attempt to win her third Classic of the season.

Godolphin's website revealed that Kazzia will now be prepared for the Grade One Flower Bowl Invitational over ten furlongs on turf at Belmont Park on September 28 and the Grade One Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Arlington Park on October 26.

Coral have trimmed the price of Bandari to 2-1 (from 5-2) and Balakheri to 100-30 (from 7-2) following the news about Kazzia.

Coral betting: 2-1 Bandari, 100-30 Balakheri, 13-2 Ballingarry, Bollin Eric, 9-1 Highest, 11-1 Sholokhov, 12-1 Mr Dinos, Mamool, 16-1 First Charter, 20-1 Nysaean, 33-1 Lady's Secret, 40-1 Black Sam Bellamy.

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