Doncaster Friday Preview

A Class 3 Nursery event kickstarts the weekend’s racing at Doncaster and Jamie Spencer teams up with Luca Cumani for our selection.
It would be a fitting victory following the recent news of Cumani’s retirement, with the pair managing an impressive 132 wins together over the years.
PREJUDICE, a full-brother to multiple Group1 winner Postponed, should relish the forecasted conditions and will be suited by Spencer’s typical hold-up tactics, having taken this route through the race in his recent demolition job at Redcar.

13:50 - Ambling The second race of the day has an open look to it with a bunch of potentially smart newcomers lining up against a couple of horses with bits and pieces of form.

Our pick, AMBLING, was well-found in the market ahead of her recent run at Nottingham but found just one too good meaning she comes here level at the weights with the rest.

She was ridden prominently last time out so we are hoping Rob Havlin deploys the same tactics and puts her experience to good use.

Roger Varian’s Just My Type finished well over 7f last time out and could be dangerous, along with Ralph Beckett’s newcomer with the yard in fine form.

Sir Michael Stoute has an impeccable record at this track in recent times and he looks to have strong claims in the shape of SOLID STONE here.

The 2-y-o colt was given a tender ride by Ryan Moore and debut and went straight into the tracker having left an impression that he will come on bundles.

We also know he handles the ground which can prove vital in a race packed with un-raced horses, and the form of the Newbury maiden has worked out well, with 5th & 6th being subsequent winners.

Everything went terribly wrong early on for FOREST OF DEAN on debut but he caught they eye at the back of the field and will go close if breaking on level terms here.

He was very green throughout the race and looked in-need of the experience, so he should come on nicely and be primed for a good run in a race the yard has won three times in recent years.

The main danger looks to be the Queen’s Regular, who sets a solid standard from his Redcar debut, but looked to know his job and lacks the scope of our selection.

Traditionally, this is a tricky contest for punters, throwing up 28/1, 33/1 & 16/1 winners in the previous three renewals.

Despite this, we fancy one likely to be nearer to the top of the market in VICTORY ANGEL.

Trained by Roger Varian, this 4-y-o is winless this season but has ran in some competitive handicaps and looks more than up to beating this lot, probably having the class-edge.

We have two potentially smart types from leading yards here in the shape of Winds Of Fire and Surya, but we are siding with 8-race maiden LEGAL HISTORY, who although isn’t bred to be a stayer, looks like he will be suited by the step up in trip.

He was well-backed last time out but got going far too late and gets in off bottom weight.

There have evidently been problems with the regally-bred Herculean given his lack of outings, and although impressive last time out, Big Kitten may well need the run on debut for Willy Haggas therefore we are taking a risk with RISE HALL.

By Frankel, this colt absolutely bolted up at Salisbury in August, and was very unlucky last time out, finishing strongly after having to be switched with a furlong to go.

We finish the day with an amateur jockey’s handicap. They are never the easiest races to judge, but THORNTOUN CARE has every chance on just his third start for a new yard.

He out ran his 100/1 odds last time out, finishing third in a stronger looking race than this and now sits on his last winning mark, with the jockey shaving off a further 3lb.