Doncaster Saturday Preview - 26/03/22

The first race of the flat season at Doncaster on Saturday is the Brocklesby Conditions Stakes over five furlongs and we are siding with the Richard Hannon trained Persian Force.

A very tricky race with all of the horses in the field having their first start, but this €225,000 purchase for Richard Hannon in the Ammo Racing colours could be a smart prospect over this trip from his pedigree.

He is a son of smart sprinter Mehmas out of a Lope De Vega mare, he shouldn’t be lacking speed over this trip.

Rossa Ryan takes the ride and he has been in electric form of late winning six of his last 19 races which sees him pose a 32% strike rate.

Next up is the Listed Cammidge Trophy Stakes over six furlongs and Clive Cox's Diligent Harry could well be the value in the market.

The four year old won his first two events as a three year old in very taking style last year and then bumped into the Group 1 winning Rohaan when trying to land his hat-trick.

He got back to winning ways at Lingfield at the All Weather Championships and was then sent into the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle where he was a solid third.

He made his turf debut in July when a neck second to Happy Romance at Newbury over 6f, he was then given a break and returned in October at Ascot when very below par in the Group 3 Bengough stakes only beating two home but the soft ground went against him that day.

In an easier race for his seasonal return and back on better ground he can’t be discounted.

The Class 2 Sprint Mile Handicap only sees nine runners go to post but looks as a competitive as ever and we have picked out Empirestateofmind as the most likely winner.

A Very consistent horse for John Quinn not finishing outside of the top three in his last seven races, going on to win three of those events over a mile.

He is versatile when it comes to soft or good ground winning on both surfaces and although progressing from a mark of 62 to now 83, he still looks to be improving and deserves a crack at a race like this.

One of the feature events on the card is the Listed Doncaster Mile Stakes and Chindit looks to be one of the bankers of the days for favourite backers.

Richard Hannon’s colt looks a class above this field and is priced accordingly by the bookmakers to go and do the business.

A smart juvenile winning all three of his first races, including the Group Two Champagne Stakes over 7f at Doncaster on good ground.

The soft ground went against him in his last run as a two year old when well beaten in the G1 Dewhurst behind St Mark’s Basilica.

Returning as a three year old he landed the Greenham Stakes on debut at Newbury over 7f and then finished a good fifth in the Group One 2000 Guineas.

He was a fair fifth in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot behind similar horses and again showing he wasn’t quite a Group One miler he was fifth of nine in the Prix Jacques Le Marois.

Rounding off last season with a good fourth in the G2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood and then a better third back at Newmarket in another G2, he is simply a class above this field at Listed level and looks a nice starting point for his season.

The Lincoln Handicap over a mile sees 22 runners head to post and with that in mind we have picked out a win and each way selection.

The win pick in the race is the William Haggas trained Mujtaba who sits at the top of the betting having attracted some nice money over the last few weeks.

This gelding looks to be laid out for the race, winning all three of his starts to date at Chepstow, Chester and Redcar showing versatility over the mile trip on good and soft ground.

His win at Redcar last time out was a big step forward on what he had done previously but he has gone up 8lb for that.

However, decent 5lb claimer Adam Farragher offsets 5lb off that so coming into the race he is effectively off a mark of 93.

This can see him go close with him expected to be a horse in the 100’s going forward.

At an each way price again for the William Haggas team is the likeable Ametist who should outrun his odds of 16/1 if staying progressive.

Winning four races in a row off the back of his debut third, he was then put into big fielded events off marks of 96 and 93 and ran no race each time at Newmarket and York.

He was last seen bouncing back to form in September when a close third in the Cambridgeshire Handicap over 9f off a mark of 92.

Only up 2lb for this run with Cieren Fallon in the saddle, he looks the each way value in the field.

The final selection of the afternoon from Town Moor comes in the Maiden Stakes over 1m2f and Groundbreaker for Andrew Balding looks the most likely winner.

The three year old son of Oasis Dream cost 130,000gns as a yearling and has been seen twice in his career as a juvenile.

Making his debut at Kempton over seven furlongs he was a fair fourth of 11 but next time out he improved at the same track over a mile to go down by a head behind a nice time for team Godolphin.

Those two runs set the form standard in the field and hopefully this race presents itself with an opportunity to break his maiden tag at the third time of asking.