Doncaster Racecourse: Preview and tips for Thursday’s seven-race afternoon card on the Flat

The action gets underway at 2.35 as 11 runners take on the amateur jockeys handicap before coming to a close with a quick five furlong handicap sprint in class five at 6.00 to round things off.

Read below to discover the latest tips for Doncaster’s seven-race card on Thursday, courtesy of Grosvenor Sport:

The opening race of the afternoon (2.35) sees 11 amateur jockeys head to post to take on division one of the class six handicap. A very open contest to kick off the card, Mrs Meader could be the one worth chancing for trainer Julie Feilden, who is 5lb below her last winning mark having disappointed last time out at Nottingham three weeks ago. Of her rivals, Cuban Cigar made an encouraging return to action a fortnight back at Hamilton so enters equations here.

Race two on the card (3.10) is in division two of the same discipline as race one with preference for Clifftop Heaven, a previous course winner who scored after 18 months off at Wolverhampton in May but was hamstrung by a quick turnaround last time out at Ripon. Captain Haddock has won in 23 attempts but was a respectable fifth of 12 on his last run and enters calculations back up in trip, which should suit the Heather Main-trained runner.

Eleven runners will take on the class five maiden stakes at 3.45, which is race three of the afternoon as the two-year-old’s take centre stage. Of the field, preference is for Hammer The Hammers, who clearly had something about him at he breeze-up sale as €200,000 was shelled out for his services and he makes his debut for trainer Kevin Ryan at Doncaster. Chancellor is another one to take note of for trainers John & Thady Gosden, a Kingman colt who’s Dam won the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf so is superbly bred for this sphere.

Race four of the afternoon (4.20) is a class five novice stakes over the quick six furlongs and Air Force Indi is taken to defy a penalty off the back of a fifth at Salisbury and a debut win at newmarket, while race five on the card (4.55) can go the way of Great Max, who has dropped down the weights for trainer David O’Meara and has shown enough to warrant consideration in his previous three outings.

The penultimate race on the card sees a field of eight head to the start for the seven furlong handicap in class five for three-year-old’s (5.30), with preference heading to Chatty, trained by Tim Easterby who has only been upped by 1lb in the weights after a fine second at Redcar last month.

Finally, the card comes to a close with the five furlong sprint handicap in class five as 13 runners tackle the trip (6.00). Of the field, the selection here is for Hurt You Never, a winner of two of her last three starts and hasn’t been penalised by the handicapper. Of her rivals, Pals Battalion was second on his last spin at Hamilton and holds claims here, dropping down in grade.

Doncaster selections - Thursday

2.35 - Mrs Meader

3.10 - Clifftop Heaven

3.45 - Hammer The Hammer

4.20 - Air Force Indi

4.55 - Great Max

5.30 - Chatty

6.00 - Hurt You Never