Doncaster Saturday Preview - 06/03/21

The first selection at Town Moor on Saturday comes in the Two mile Handicap Hurdle and the David Jeffreys trained Lively Citizen is the horse we are siding with.

Currently joint favourite at the top of the market with last time out winner Hydroplane, we believe this six year old is the better value.

The gelding was ran through the summer and performed to a very high standard, racing six times and going on to place in five events, including getting off the mark over hurdles in November.

Having finished second in a bumper at Market Rasen in July the gelding stepped up to hurdles at Southwell and was another close runner up.

She then ran into two nice improvers at Fontwell having to settle for third and was then stepped up in trip at Sedgefield ad it did not suit.

Back down to a distance that suited at Cheltenham two starts ago, Lively Citizen went on to break his duck in a superb race at Cheltenham.

He headed back to Prestbury Park in December over the same course and distance and was another good second behind a fast improving handicapper.

This six year old is highly consistent and having proved he enjoys good ground, he looks a big player getting his conditions on Saturday.

The second race of the day sees the Listed Mares Novices Hurdle over three miles and we cant see past Wynn House for Alan King.

The six year old mare was a smart horse in bumpers back in 2019 running three times and getting off the mark at the first time of asking, then backing that up with two seconds.

Having been off the track for over a year the mare returned at the start of this season in September over hurdles at Bangor and was a ready winner of a Mares Novices' Hurdle, seeing off rival on Saturday Go Millie Go by six lengths.

She then went to Ludlow and backed the run up in taking style by landing anther event and she was then upped to three miles for the first time at Cheltenham.

Last time out she was seen finishing a good fourth in the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle Trial in December behind some nice types.

Dropping in class today makes her a big player and she will be sure to get the three miles unlike some in the field.

The two mile Handicap Chase looks to be a quickly run event and the horse we believe can pick up the pieces is the Philip Hobbs trained Zoffee.

The five year old was a smart hurdler last term coming from the flat, running four times, placing twice and getting off the mark over course and distance at Town Moor.

Hobbs this season stepped the youngster up to fences and having shown signs of ability he now has an opportunity on Saturday to kick on.

On his chase debut at Warwick he was a good second behind rival Getaway trump on good ground and he backed that up at Exeter when getting off the mark in a three runner event.

Last time out he was pitched into a very tough Handicap Chase at Newbury over two miles and finished a good fourth behind the smart types Eritage and Elusive Belle.

Having not been seen since November he will be fresh today and although he needs to improve he is getting his quick conditions over a course and distance he has previously won at.

The penultimate selection from us at Doncaster on Saturday sees us put up our best bet of the day at Town Moor with Canelo looking to jump his rivals into submission in the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase.

The eight year old has really clicked into gear this season over fences having shown plenty of ability but not always backing that up in his races.

However, this term he has been largely consistent running five times, winning twice and placing in another event.

He landed his first race of the season at Aintree in a Limited Handicap Chase and then backed that up next time out at Newbury when a good second behind nice type Cap Du Nord.

He was stepped up to three miles at Wetherby two starts ago and got back to winning ways, seeing off Snow Leopardess for Charlie Longsdon, who has since franked the form.

Canelo was last seen over three miles at Doncaster in tricky conditions which did not play to his strengths and he still managed to finish a good fourth in a better Listed Handicap event.

Getting his quicker ground today makes him a big player in what looks a weaker event.

The final selection of the afternoon from us comes in the three mile Handicap Hurdle and we like the outsider of the field Sensulano for Noel Williams.

Although this mare really does need to bounce back to form we believe she has a lot of things going for her.

The mare has ran four times this season, showing mixed ability but having had a wind operation and this being her second run it should bring improvement.

Her form last season out weighs many in this field and because of her poor runs she has dropped to a mark of 132, which sees her a 1lb lower than her last winning mark.

With that she has an extra 5lb claimer taking weight off, so if jumping back to her best could be a big player.