14:40 Newbury 1pt Win Heltenham @6/4 They had been knocking on the door for a while and finally got the win they deserved last time out. A 6lb rise is probably fair and another bold show is likely for the inform Skelton yard.
13:20 Doncaster 1pt win Astral Beau Won this race last year comfortably and ran fairly well for the rest of the season, we know they love the ground and the track and another bold show is expected in what is a much more competitive renewal this year
14:25 Doncaster Harswell Duke 1pt E/W @11/2 (5 places) Winner of this last year and are 8lbs better of here today, another good draw has been given to them and any more rain would only enhance their winning chances as they love the ground and love the track.
15:35 Doncaster Spirit Genie 0.5pts E/W @16/1 (6 places) They love the ground and their last run can be left behind them back on turf after a break. There form on soft or worse ground is 4 runs 2 seconds and a first which is pretty impressive and have a definite chance here.
Falmouth Boy ran with credit on their handicap debut and any form of improvement here could see them get of the mark at the second time of asking in this sphere. The drop back in trip is likely to suit as they faded late on last time and the form from that race hasnt worked out too badly. They are off a slight break but if ready to go they will be bang there. 0.5pts E/W @8/1 (3 places)
Wals Bucks 3:55 Hexham (5/4). Bit out paced at Sandown last time, steps up in trip and dropped a couple of pounds in this easier looking race, well backed already and an obvious chance if the step up in trip helps.
1pt in 5/4 (bet365)
Doncaster 1.20
The 2024 turf flat season kicks off with a seven runner renewal of the listed Doncaster Mile. The ground is likely to be pretty sticky here and that may play into the hands of last year’s winner Astral Beau who although having a few pounds to find with a few of these on official ratings has form figures of 3111 on soft or heavy ground and has won first time out for the last two seasons including a 4L victory in this race a year ago. Pam Sly is a more than capable trainer and may have most to fear here from the Roger Varian trained Charyn who kept better company than this last year and is the highest rated of the seven runners. Knight is another who relishes the mud but its the only mare in the race that can beat the boys here under Shane Kelly under her ideal ground conditions.
ASTRAL BEAU 1 point win @ 5/1 bet365
Bangor 1.30
A rare visit for the ITV cameras to Bangor-On-Dee for this class 2 2M 3 1/2F handicap hurdle which has attracted eight runners. It may chiefly concern Dan Skelton’s veteran West To The Bridge who’s fallen down to a winning mark, Olly Murphy’s hat trick seeking Pickanumber and last year’s winner Jungle Jack. Preference is for Skelton's West To The Bridge who has the assistance of Tristan Durrell here with main stable jockey Harry Skelton required at Newbury.
WEST TO THE BRIDGE 1 point each way @ 5/1 bet365
Doncaster 1.50
The first two year old turf race of the season is the historic Brocklesby Stakes run over the minimum trip of 5F and has attracted a field of fifteen this year. Obviously the market will tell us the ones that are expected to run well but I can pass on a good mark for the Amo Racing newcomer Mystical Elegance trained in Lambourn by Dominic Ffrench Davis. The owners are already off the mark with the first juvenile race of the Irish flat turf season last Monday and the trainer was on the Nick Luck podcast on Thursday stating that the son of Zoustar will love the prevailing ground and is very forward with a good willing attitude. He was the pick from three entries from the yard and without the benefit of any market clues is worth a speculative interest.
MYSTICAL ELEGANCE 1 point win 5/2 bet365
Newbury 2.10
A field of nine face the judge for this 2M 3F class 3 novices’ handicap hurdle. Phillip Hoobs & Johnson White’s Into The Park and Nigel Twiston-Davies’s Spirits Bay head the weights and the market and come here both chasing hat tricks although both are up in the weights. As a four year old the Dan Skelton trained Kartoon And Co gets a healthy age allowance of 12lb and off of just 10 stone 2lb here, a weight which is jockey Harry Skelton’s bare minimum (he may well have to put up a pound overweight). He ran well at Sandown a fortnight ago when runner up in a handicap hurdle when well backed and with the extra 3F likely to suit looks the pick although I can’t resist a small each way saver on Nicky Henderson’s only runner of the day in handicap debutant Break My Soul, who’s recent second spot at Warwick has been boosted by the winner placing in graded company since and the third winning a handicap. We all know Henderson’s stable has been under a cloud but his only runner since Cheltenham was a winner at Kempton a week ago.
KARTOON AND CO 1 point each way @ 8/1 BetVictor 1/5th 123
BREAK MY SOUL 1/2 point each way @ 16/1 bet365 1/5th 123
Doncaster 2.25
The Lincoln consolation race the Spring Mile Handicap has attracted eighteen runners and is run over the straight mile. Last year’s winner Harswell Duke is back to defend his title with the runner up Titian, third Maysong, seventh Arthur’s Realm and a few others all back as well. Harswell Duke did us a favour that day and can race here off of a 8lb lower mark mainly due to the fact that he lost his form after last year’s win. Although he’s 6lb worse off now I would prefer Julie Camacho’s Titian from last years race to come out best here. The one I want to be with though is the Tony Coyle & Caine Wood trained Thunder Roar with the booking of Jamie Spencer an eye caching one. He obviously adores the mud with form figures on soft or heavy reading 11213 which include a a heavy ground victory of a 7f race here in October. He teed up for this with an eye catching third at Southwell a fortnight ago and even though he has to prove he stays a mile looks the bet as long as stall number 1 is not a negative.
THUNDER ROAR 1 point each way @ 8/1 bet365 1/5th 12345
Newbury 2.40
Just the seven have declared for this class 2 2M 4F handicap chase where last year’s winner Heltenham heads the market following another win here at the beginning of the month. He’s up 6lb for that win and 13lb in total from last years win. His best form appears to be on testing ground so drying conditions may not suit and I’ll take him on with Kerry Lee’s bottom weight Eaton Collina. He arrives in top form having won two handicaps at Wetherby in February rising 12lb for those success’s under today’s jockey Richard Patrick. He maybe the value bet against the favourite.
EATON COLLINA 1 point each way @ 5/1 William Hill 1/5th 123
Doncaster 3.00
Seven line up for this 6F listed Cammidge Trophy. Bar the rank outsider Glorious Angel a case can be made for all with Karl Burke’s Marshman (first time tongue tie) and William Haggas’s Montassib jointly the best horses in the field although neither would want a real mud bath. The same could be said about Charlie Hills’s Orazio and with Baradar dropping down from a mile to 6F it maybe worth taking a swing with the only three year old in the field Adaay in Devon trained by Rod Millman who has his dual purpose stable in fine form currently winning with three of his last 8 runners at time of writing. She was a big improver through last summer and autumn winning four times, all on soft ground, before ending the season finishing 1 3/4L runner up in the listed Bosra Sham Stakes at Newmarket on heavy ground won by a well touted Godolphin filly. She gets not only a 5lb fillies allowance but also a hefty 13lb age allowance and could be the value play on ground she likes under Silvestre De Sousa. Back her each way with the firms paying three places in the seven runner field.
ADAAY IN DEVON 1 point each way @ 14/1 William Hill 1/5th 123
Newbury 3.15
A wide open renewal of the EBF mares novices handicap hurdle run over 2M 4 1/2F with seventeen runners going to post. The race has a wide open look about it with many of the mares making their handicap debuts here. An interesting runner is the Dan Skelton trained Lindy Reilly who’s got in here off of a nice low mark following there starts and is worth watching closely. Barbury Castle trainer Alan King took his mare Kay Tara Tara up to Kelso to get qualified for this event 15 days ago on ground that was too soft for her but she ran well in defeat finishing 2 1/4L second to the re-opposing El Elefante and it will be no surprise if on 11lb better terms and on significantly better ground she turned that form around and runs a big race.
KAY TARA TARA 1 point each way @ 12/1 888sport 1/5th 12345
Doncaster 3.35
The first big flat turf handicap of the season is the William Hill Lincoln run over the straight mile of Town Moor with a maximum field of twenty two gong to post. The front two in the market Awaal, who ran second in this last year to Migration and Liberty Lane,a course and distance winner at the St Leger meeting both hold decent claims with preference just for the latter who is trained by the in form Karl Burke and could be well drawn in stall 20 if last year’s renewal has anything to do with it especially now he’s been gelded. Both have been well found in the market mind as has last Monday’s Irish Lincoln winner Chazzesmee who if none the worse for that victory can be in the shake up. The most interesting runner to my eyes however is Lattam who’s joined Julie Camacho’s Yorkshire stable having been bought for a cheap looking 50,000 guineas. A winner first time out the last two seasons he loves soft ground and took the Irish equivalent first time out last season when in the care of William Haggas. Ryan Sexton is a good booking and from a draw in the middle means he can go either side if there appears an advantage earlier in the meeting. A tough call and whilst I wouldn’t put anyone off Liberty Lane it’s Lattam that appeals each way with the firms paying extra places.
LATTAM 1 point each way @ 10/1 bet365 1/5th 123456
Spring mile
Titian. 8.7 58 58. 13/2
Arthur's realm. 8.5 28 30 12/1
Magic memories. 8.5. 41 37 14/1
These three are clear of rest ....on class ratings you can see Titian is stand out but it's an open race and draw plays a part so I'll try 5pt wins all 3
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