Doncaster Racecourse: Preview and tips for Friday’s seven-race Jumps card as the obstacles return

The first Jumps meeting of the new season arrives on Friday with a seven-race offering at the track, kicking off at the early time of 11.55am and rounding off at 3.15pm.

Read below to discover the latest tips and a full preview of Doncaster’s card on Friday courtesy of Sporting Life.

The opening contest on the card sees a field of 11 head to the start for the three-mile handicap hurdle for conditional and amateur jockeys (11.55). Paul Nicholls’ six-year-old Kick Up A Storm took his handicap record to three wins from five handicap starts when winning at Exeter four days ago and a 7lb hike in the weights here might not be enough to prevent him securing a hat trick. On Springs rates the main threat here, a creditable second last time out over hurdles having struggled over fences previously.

Adaay Forever was luckless when brought down early on his Jumps debut at Wetherby at the start of the month but bounced back to form to finish third at Bangor 16 days ago and the Alan King runner is the selection in race two on the card (12.25) as a small field of five tackle the two-mile national hunt hurdle. Trainer Donald McCain saddles two of the five runners, with Wallquatari, another faller on debut 53 days ago but had shown some aptitude prior to his mishap.

A £92,000 purchase from the Irish point-to-point scene could be the one to side with in race three of the Doncaster card (12.55) with Moon Rocket, an easy winner between the flags over the other side of the Irish Sea on his second run and sent to the Kim Bailey yard. Wicked Thoughts was a wide margin winner in points as well and is now in expert hands with Paul Nicholls, though he was turned over at short odds on rules debut five weeks ago but looks the type that will improve for that opening run.

A small field of four will take on the class three handicap chase (1.30) but it is still an interesting contest despite the size of the field. Rock My Way was a Grade 2 winner of hurdles in 2023 and placed in all three starts over fences earlier this year, returning for the new campaign with a third in a handicap chase 22 days ago and with his jockey Callum Pritchard taking off a handy 7lb, could be the way to go here. Bumper winner Billy Boi Blue is feared most, a winner of an 11-runner handicap hurdle 44 days ago at Wetherby.

The Ben Pauling-trained Mole Court looks the one to beat in the class three handicap chase which marks race five on the day (2.05), a five-time winner in this sphere previously and got back on track with a good third 19 days ago at Huntingdon, while the penultimate contest on the card (2.40) could see Pauling pick up a quick double on the card with Davidoc, who can build on his promising start over fences when second in a Southwell handicap last time out.

Finally, the card comes to a close with a big-field handicap hurdle in class five over the two mile and three furlong trip (3.15) and 14 runners are set to tackle it. Plenty are in with a chance but it could pay to side with Hiero Sport, who got off the mark on his second handicap start after five months off at Fakenham recently and can make light of a 6lb rise in the weights here to go in again for trainer Alex Hales.

Doncaster selections - Friday:

11.55 - Kick Up A Storm

12.25 - Adaay Forever

12.55 - Moon Rocket

1.30 - Rock My Way

2.05 - Mole Court

2.40 - Davidoc

3.15 - Hiero Sport