ITV Racing Saturday Kelso, Doncaster and Kempton Preview

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.

Kelso offer the only jumps racing of the weekend on ITV and the first race shown from the Scottish track is the Class 2 Handicap Hurdle.

Diamond State for the inform Lucinda Russell has a very smart profile for this race and at an each way price would be a surprise to not hit the frame.

Racing at Musselburgh for his last 11 runs, the six year old is a very consistent horse placing in six of his last eight races, winning twice.

Creeping around the 117 mark for along time now he looks to need some help and he gets that with handy 10lb claimer Conner McCann taking the ride.

Getting back on better ground and 1lb lower than his latest third see him have a big chance.

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.

At Kempton this weekend the Richard Hannon trained Fancy Man runs in the Listed Magnolia Stakes looks a much better horse than his rivals.

This lad could be tough to beat here being a very reliable horse in these sorts of races without winning that often, but he seems to have been placed into a very winnable race on Saturday afternoon.

A winner in 2020 at Haydock over a mile when beating the smart Alenquer, he has since gone onto place back at Haydock in the Group Three Rose Of Lancaster Stakes and Group Three Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor.

He finished last season by winning on the all weather at Lingfield over 1m4f and having been given a small break he returned in February back at Lingfield down to 1m2f and he again, won a decent Listed event.

That run was a prep run for The Group Three Winter Derby where he was a close third behind two Group One horses in Alenquer and Lord North.

Won’t need the run and looks primed to go close.

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.

The last race from Kempton on ITV is the Class 2 Handicap over two miles and the horse that makes the most appeal at the prices is the Marco Botti trained Moliwood.

A fairly consistent horse winning four of his last seven races, he seems to have turned into a progressive horse this term for the step up in distance.

A winner three starts ago at Wolves over 14f, he then went to Chelmsford and could only manage fourth in a better event but last time out got back to winning ways when stepped up to two miles over today's course and distance.

Only 2lb higher and should be a player.

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 last race of the afternoon from Kelso is the Mares' Novices' Handicap Hurdle and Theatre Glory for Nicky Henderson could be a class above this field.

The five year old mare has been seen four times, winning an 11 runner bumper in May last year at Worcester in taking style and has since gone over hurdles.

In November he made his hurdles debut and won nicely over two miles, but lost his unbeaten record next time out in a good Listed race behind Elle Est Belle and Ahorsewithnoname, who have both franked the form since.

Theatre Glory also boosted that form line when last seen up in trip at Warwick landing a Mares' Novices' Hurdle under a penalty by close to 10 lengths.

Gives weight away to the rest of the field on handicap debut but smart 7lb claimer Nathan Brennan offsets some of that and she looks a class above.

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.