Tag: Doncaster

Doncaster Wednesday Preview

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Take Note (8-1) was one of three winners at Leicester on Tuesday for Betcirca followers, extending our winning sequence to six consecutive days on UK racing. Wednesday sees the start of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster and we have selections in the first five races on the card.

Having cashed in on Hugo Palmer’s Only Joking when she bolted up by eight lengths in a Thirsk maiden, I simply have to follow her on her handicap debut in the 2.00 race. She was very impressive that day and Palmer has picked up two Group 3 races with his two-year-olds in recent weeks. With William Buick booked for the ride, she is going to be difficult to beat off 8st 7lb. The likely danger is Richard Hannon’s When Will It End who has twice been beaten by Mark Johnston’s useful Grigolo.

I was sorely tempted to go for Markaz in the 2.30 race after the grey ran such a good race at Goodwood last time. However, the form has been let down repeatedly and he looks to have a stiff task on these terms against Angelic Lord. Tom Dascombe’s colt has been racing in top company and ran on dourly behind Ivawood at Newmarket. He was alongside a smart colt in Belardo at the line and a repeat of that run would be good enough.

The Scarborough Stakes at 3.00 looks like an ideal opportunity for Godolphin to start getting some of their money back for the purchase of Reckless Abandon. He was held back by niggling injuries last season but looked to be returning to his best when a close third to Tropics at Newmarket. I liked the way he battled all the way to the line that day and it will be disappointing if he cannot beat a field largely consisting of handicappers. Mecca’s Angel could be the main threat but she really wants a bit more give in the ground than seems likely.

I would not normally get involved in the Legends race but Michael Hills stands out like a sore thumb on Dansili Dutch. He has not long hung up his riding boots and is riding a filly in form with a perfect draw. David O’Meara is also enjoying a good run so it will be disappointing if the grey does not do the business here.

Finally, I was about to start counting my winnings on Clon Brulee at Sandown last week when he cruised to the front. Unfortunately the weight told in the closing stages and he was reeled in by a couple of lightweights. Ryan Moore will be tracking Godolphin’s second-string Cap O’Rushes and aiming to deliver a decisive late challenge here. I am a big fan of Nabucco but, like Mecca’s Angel, he really wants it softer.

Only Joking 2.00 @3-1 Paddy Power

Angelic Lord 2.30 @5-4 Ladbrokes

Reckless Abandon 3.00 @5-2 William Hill

Dansili Dutch 3.35 @6-1 Paddy Power

Clon Brulee 4.10 @2-1 Bet365

Doncaster Thursday Preview

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All of the leading competitors have so far stood their ground for the King George on Saturday. If the weather down south is anything like it is up here in Scotland it will be very quick ground for the weekend.

There is a decent card at Doncaster on Thursday and there are a couple of horses that interest me. The first is Richard Hannon’s Basateen in the maiden race at 6.15.

The Teofilo colt ran an encouraging first race to finish third at Newmarket on soft ground. He was not too cleanly away under Paul Hanagan and ended up having to weave his way into contention behind stablemate Lexington Times.

Both colts are highly regarded by the trainer and have some ambitious entries. Basateen has been given an entry in the 2015 Epsom Derby so you’d have to think he was capable of winning this modest maiden. The going will not have helped him on his debut and he should provide Sheikh Hamdan with another winner in a big week for the famous blue and white colours.

The same colours could make a quick return to the winner’s enclosure at 7.55 courtesy of hat-trick seeking Etaab. William Haggas has taken this filly out of a couple of valuable races because of the soft ground but that should not be a problem on Thursday. Dorraar is 7lbs better off with Etaab for just over two lengths on earlier form but the winner has improved again since.

Leaderene looks nicely weighted to follow up her eight-length Lingfield victory in the 3.15 at Yarmouth. She only has a 6lbs penalty and Joe Fanning should be able to kick for home some way from the finish on the bottom weight. The danger is probably the course specialist The Ducking Stool who must concede over a stone to Mark Johnston’s runner.

The best race of the day is the Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown. The Aga Khan’s Raydara looked very impressive last time out but so too did Marsali. With three O’Brien runners also in the field, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the winner going for the top two-year-old prizes later in the season. Raydara’s debut run when second to Words looks like proving to have been a very smart maiden and victory here would complement the winner enormously.

Leaderene 3.15 Yarmouth at 8-11 Bet365

Basateen 6.15 Doncaster

Etaab 7.55 Doncaster at 11-10 Bet365

Doncaster Saturday Preview

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Flat racing takes centre stage on Saturday with the Lincoln heralding the start of the new flat turf season in the UK and the Dubai World Cup meeting providing some top quality action from Dubai.

I must admit that I’ve never really been convinced by the Dubai World Cup meeting. It is too early in the year for many of the top stables to run their horses and has the feel of a private garden party for Sheikh Mohammed. However, I take my hat off to him this year as the card has much more strength in depth with at least three excellent races.

My methods for Doncaster used to be to look out for horses that were fit from the jumps. The going is usually soft (as it is again this year) and only the fittest horses finish their races. That is why you get horses beaten twenty and thirty lengths over a mile! The only exception was Barry Hills who used to love this meeting and always seemed to have two or three ready to go in first time out.

I’d like to think that John Gosden has a similar approach as he has certainly mastered the Lincoln over the years. He isn’t represented this year but he does run a couple on the card and they may be worth a look. Fencing has always threatened to win a big race and kicks off another campaign in the Listed Doncaster Mile.

After finishing third to Camelot in the Racing Post Trophy in 2011, the chestnut ran in the Guineas, the Dante Stakes and the St James’s Palace Stakes as a three-year-old. Gosden is the ultimate pessimist so he must have faith in the horse to keep him in training for another year. I’m worried about Graphic who did us a couple of good turns last season. He progressed through the handicap and ran a blinder in the Cambridgeshire under the near rail to finish fourth.

Gosden’s other runner is Romsdal in the maiden, by Halling out of a Singspiel mare. He may struggle to get the better of the street-wise Hymenaios who represents the Hannon Jnr stable.

Brae Hill was balloted out of the Lincoln so cannot add to his impressive record of 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Don’t forget, if you backed him ante-post you get your money back. I would re-invest on him for the Spring Cup but trainer Richard Fahey suggested that he was not as far forward as usual this year so I’ll pass him over. Gabrial’s Kaka is our ante-post hope for the big race and should run well for the same yard.

If you haven’t had a bet on the National yet, Big Shu is still available at 40-1 with Coral and Ladbrokes and is my best long shot. Peter Buchanan has been booked to ride so it looks like all systems go.

Ante-Post Gabrial’s Kaka at 16-1

Ante-Post Big Shu at 40-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Fencing at 3-1 Paddy Power

Lincoln Handicap Preview

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No sooner has the dust settled on the Cheltenham festival than we are looking forward to the start of a new flat season. Doncaster’s traditional curtain raiser is only a little over a week away, the Lincoln Handicap over the straight mile.

I haven’t often become involved in the race because it is basically a lottery with the runners either returning from a lengthy absence or having been toiling away on the all-weather. Factors such as the ground and the draw can destroy the best laid plans, although John Gosden has been successful in navigating his way through that particular minefield.

Unfortunately the Newmarket maestro hasn’t got an entry this year and that is probably why the bookies are still going 14-1 the field. Interestingly, that dubious honour goes to Richard Fahey’s Gabrial’s Kaka. Fahey has six entries including Brae Hill who simply loves this race.

He first ran in the race in 2011 where he ran prominently on the stands side under Jamie Spencer, being collared by Sweet Lightning. The following year he just held on by a short-head from the fast finishing Mull of Killough. He was back again last year, this time finishing only a short-neck away third behind Levitate in a blanket finish.

He put up some other fine efforts last season, winning at Sandown and finishing second at Chester and Ayr. You can ignore his last run behind Graphic at York as he was probably over the top by then. This is his time of year and at 20-1 he stands out as one to keep on the right side of.

Fahey has five other runners including Gabrial’s Kaka who was second to Seek Again at York in October. His prominent position in the market suggests he is fancied. Brae Hill is currently at number 45 and there is a maximum field of 22. Gabrial’s Kaka looks certain to get in at number 25 and races in the same colours of Dr Marwan Koukash.

He ran a sound race behind Seek Again but he did seem to carry his head slightly awkwardly. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a visor or cheek pieces applied for the first time at Doncaster. Captain Cat represents Roger Charlton but he seems to have been handicapped up to the hilt on his all-weather form. Jeremy Noseda’s Consign has bits and pieces of form including a decent Ascot win while Brownsea Brink ran up a sequence for Richard Hannon last season.

We’ll put our faith in the Fahey duo for now and wait with interest to see how the trainer’s plans unfold.

Gabrial’s Kaka at 16-1 Racebets

Brae Hill at 20-1 William Hill

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Doncaster Saturday Preview

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With the Cheltenham festival now so close, it is no surprise to see a lack of top performers in action at Newbury and Doncaster this weekend. The exception is the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase where several Grand National entries are put to the test.

The one that stands out is Monbeg Dude who was due to run in the Haydock Grand National Trial a couple of weeks ago. He was pulled out at the last minute due to an unsatisfactory scope. I believe that will prove to be a blessing in disguise as the race was run in atrocious conditions. It resulted in a 1-2 for Venetia Williams with Rigadin De Beauchene coming home clear of Emperor’s Choice.

Had Monbeg Dude taken his chance there, it may well have set him back for Aintree and he will be far happier at Doncaster. I fell into the trap of having him down as a mudlark after his wins at Cheltenham and Chepstow last season but he proved me wrong in some style last time out.

I supported Theatre Guide on the strength of his excellent third in the Hennessy Gold Cup and he looked to be travelling best for most of the race. That was until Monbeg Dude moved up to him approaching the last and made him look very ordinary. He has been raised 8lbs for that victory but looks attractively priced at around 6-1 on Saturday.

Michael Scudamore’s nine-year-old is clearly being aimed at Aintree but Paul Carberry can produce him late to capture this valuable prize. I’ll also be keeping an eye on Godsmejudge who I have backed at 33-1 for the National. The Scottish National winner can be forgiven his poor Sandown run as Alan King shut down his yard shortly afterwards due to a virus.

Emma Lavelle’s Court By Surprise is the early favourite after finishing second to There’s No Panic in the London National. The form for that race has been torn to shreds with the third, fourth and fifth all running badly next time.

Newbury’s Greatwood Gold Cup has attracted a modest bunch and I’m inclined to take a chance with the veteran Dashing George at 8-1. He is old enough to run in the veteran’s race earlier in the card but looked on good terms with himself when winning at Fakenham last time. He almost unseated his rider at the first but settled into a good rhythm and a similar effort might prove good enough against some in-and-out performers.

Monbeg Dude at 6-1 Bet Victor (Grimthorpe Chase)

Dashing George at 8-1 Paddy Power (Greatwood Gold Cup)

Sky Bet Chase Preview

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The combination of Paul Nicholls and Harry Derham teamed up to provide us with a nice winner in Saphir Du Rheu two weeks ago and could be worth following at Doncaster on Saturday. Derham is a very capable rider and claims a useful 5lbs off the Nicholls runner in the featured Sky Bet Chase.

Unioniste is a typical French import in that he jumped like an old hand from the moment he joined Nicholls. He landed a significant gamble for the stable when he won the December Gold Cup in desperate ground in 2012 with Derham riding a confident race. The going is currently described as soft but there is plenty of rain around and conditions are bound to be testing.

Unioniste made a satisfactory start to his season when a fair third at Wetherby, especially as many of the Nicholls horses were in need of their first run. He then won at Aintree where his jumping improved when given a clear sight of his fences. He was then pitched in at the deep end in the Lexus Chase and ran well before being outpaced as the runners headed for home.

That defeat suggests that a Gold Cup entry is rather ambitious but he is a smart chaser in this grade and this does not look a particularly strong field. Roberto Goldback has become very frustrating since winning well on his first start for Henderson and the Grand National winner Aurora’s Encore will surely do well to get close to Unioniste in receipt of just 2lbs after Derham’s claim.

The two horses that catch my eye as possible dangers are Donald McCain’s Kruzhlinin and Keith Reveley’s Night In Milan. Both won well last time and appear fairly treated by the handicapper. Kruzhlinin has won twice at Kelso and has gone up just 6lbs for his latest triumph. I just prefer him as an each-way alternative because he will probably handle the ground better than Night In Milan.

I was not convinced that Night In Milan’s race here was the greatest handicap of the season, although Mart Lane came out and won next time. The handicapper has given him a hefty 10lbs hike for that, a win achieved in first time blinkers. That means that Night In Milan meets him on the same terms as when thrashing him here previously.

Gullinbursti is tough and consistent but I can’t help thinking is too close to Unioniste in the handicap. He will probably run his usual game race but may struggle for a turn of foot in the closing stages. Time For Rupert was fifth in the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup but has only been on the track twice since.

Unioniste at 5-1 BetVictor

Kruzhlinin at 9-1 BetVictor