Doncaster Racecourse: Preview and tips for Friday’s eight-race meeting
While the National Hunt season has kicked off across the rest of the country, it’s still very much the Flat season at Doncaster, with the final Group One race of the year taking place there this weekend.
Read on for a preview of and tips for day one of the Doncaster card, brought to you by BOYLE Sports, who have all the horse racing betting.
Friday’s opener is a six-furlong nursery handicap (13.35). Big Cigar is the topweight here, with form in Group races after a handicap success earlier in the summer. This will be more within reach. Bulletsnap can handle this ground and looks good again after a six-length success at Ripon last time, while Tim Easterby’s pair can handle the soft ground well and can factor.
Next, over the same trip, is another handicap (14.10). Rousing Encore is higher in the handicap now but is worth thinking about on this sort of ground, but Toyotomi is more attractive, having come down the weights nicely and might be helped by a first-time visor here. Lakers may have an each-way chance.
Race three is a seven-furlong handicap (14.45). Godolphin’s Palladas comes here having won both starts so far and seeks to maintain his unbeaten record, starting on turf for the first ever time. Down in trip, he still has something to prove. Invictus Gold can handle conditions and could have a nice chance each-way.
The fourth race is a seven-furlong fillies’ maiden (15.20). There are a number of newcomers here, making it a hard race to judge. Godolphin run a pair; first string Desert Romance and second string Snow Carnival - a debutant with Ryan Moore in the saddle. Both fillies share a sire and a damsire, so could be similarly talented. Tenshi is interesting after a green debut on a slow surface at Kempton. Plenty of progress can be made now.
Next is a mile two-year-olds’ novice (15.55). Seagoing is the only one with any previous form; the rest unraced. He hasn’t show much so far, so it’s best to pick a newcomer bred for these conditions and to have some stamina. Age Of Reason, Godolphin’s first preference, is appropriately bred, but Entrust - 11-time Group One winner Enable’s first foal - will attract the most attention due to his impeccable pedigree.
The sixth race is the first division of a six-furlong handicap (16.30). Topwarrior is in good form but this mark looks tricky. Bone Marra makes more appeal in first-time cheekpieces, while First Time could be good if taking to the step down in trip. Woven’s mark is now workable, and he has Oisin Murphy taking the ride, which could help, but he’s slightly better on a sounder surface.
In the second division (17.05), Angel Gabriel seems competitive after a good run of placings, and he can still compete on this mark. French Affair is attractive for Jennie Candlish, while Wobwobwob might be at a doable mark now and is certainly worth considering eachway.
Last of all is a 10-furlong handicap (17.35). Kokanee should be a big player here, down one pound from a placing run last time out. Yermanthere could do well on a more forgiving mark than his latest pair of starts, but this is still a stiff ask. Geo has a shout, back up to his better trip, but he might prefer to be further down the handicap.
Doncaster selections - Friday
13.35 - Bulletsnap
14.10 - Toyotomi
14.45 - Palladas, Invictus Gold e/w
15.20 - Desert Romance, Tenshi e/w
15.55 - Age Of Reason
16.30 - Bone Marra
17.05 - Wobwobwob e/w
17.35 - Kokanee