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Saturday 24th October

1.15 Doncaster

Mark Johnston has won two of the last four runnings of the race and I am quite sweet on his recent Hamilton winner SAND SKIER. He has progressed with each run this season and really caught my eye last time. Okay, it wasn’t that strong a race but he couldn’t have done it any easier as Joe Fanning never really asked him a question. The step up to 7f will suit this son of Shamardal and he looks to have a big chance here. A similar comment applies to SWISS CROSS who got off the mark in a Newmarket maiden earlier this month. His victory wasn’t as visually impressive but he showed a really likeable attitude knuckling down to fight out the finish. That came over 7f so there is no worry about the trip but there is a slight question mark about his ability to handle the sifter conditions tomorrow. SUBTEFUGE is another 7f winner with concerns over the ground but he was impressive when winning at Warwick last month and the Cecil team will be buoyed by Twice Over’s success last weekend. UNSHAKEABLE WILL could prove something of a dark horse after three consistent efforts. Seven furlongs clearly suit at this stage of his career and judged on his racing style I don’t think he will have a problem with the soft conditions.

SHORTLIST

SAND SKIER

SWISS CROSS

SUBTEFUGE

1.30 Newbury

This maiden has been won by some decent animals down the years but this season’s renewal looks impossible. If forced, I would side with SIR PITT as I thought he was the horse to take out of the race at Newcastle earlier this month. He looked a bit green early on and was soon being niggled along but once the penny dropped he stuck on really well in the closing stages suggesting that there is improvement to come with that experience under his belt. Of course, this race is full of horses whichx are capable of significant improvement and if you are lucky enough to select the winner, I tip my hat to you.

SHORTLIST

SIR PITT

1.50 Doncaster

I don’t like the look of this race and will probably sit this one out. NEVADA DESERT and STARLA DANCER both have questions to answer after a 6lbs rise up the following victories at Wolverhampton and York respectively. I will be interested to see how AGAPANTHUS runs as although he has been well below par on his last three efforts he is down another 3lbs tomorrow. TAARESH has a long absence to overcome but he has form on soft ground so could get involved if fit enough. If I were forced to bet I would have to consider James Given’s filly PUNCH DRUNK. Down 4lbs since finishing a modest 8th at Pontefract, all of here better efforts have come with some juice in the ground and as long as the price is right, she might be worth a little dabble each-way.

SHORTLIST

PUNCH DRUNK

AGAPANTHUS

2.05 Newbury

If INLER runs here rather than at Doncaster, he would be my main selection but this looks the tougher option. If Sir Pitt wins the opener at Newbury, that should be a good pointer to BURNETT who beat him at Newcastle. He gave the impression that day that he should prove a decent middle distance horse next season. CLASSIC COLORI looked a nice colt when winning at Wolverhampton in July but he must have suffered a setback as he has been off the track since. Hopefully that will be behind him now but he may just need the run tomorrow. CRITICAL MOMENT showed a really game spirit when he had to dig really deep to get up on the line over course and distance in September. Finding a genuine horse is half the battle, so I wouldn’t rule out a game effort. I have been really impressed by AUDACITY OF HOPE’S rookie trainer this season so I wouldn’t rule out a bold effort from this son of Red Ransom. He was only beaten 2L by Sir Parky in a Group 3 last time and i think the slight ease in the going will suit him better than the good to form he has been used to.

SHORTLIST

BURNETT

CRITICAL MOMENT

AUDACITY OF HOPE

2.20 Doncaster

JUDGE ‘N JURY won this race last season off a 5lbs higher mark than tomorrow, so he shouldn’t be completely overlooked despite conceding all round. However, I am going to be a bit predictable and go with RULESN’REGULATIONS who has now won three of his four starts. He has won twice on the polytrack so I don’t believe that he will have a problem with the soft conditions and the booking of Fallon looks another big positive. His stall one draw will be ideal if the far rail proved the place to be. The only downside I can see is that surrounding his price. I can see him being plenty short enough tomorrow despite a 22 runner field and if that proves the case, I might well leave him un-backed. CHEVETON is a real 5f specialist, so the fact that he ran so well over 6f at York last time is a bonus. He handles cut in the ground but this will require a career best effort off his current mark of 97. I wouldn’t really want to put a line through any of these as all can be given a squeak if you look hard enough. WAFFLE is still pretty unexposed and comes here in reasonable form if you ignore his effort in a group 3 last time, whilst HOGMANEIGH has been running better than the bare form suggests and I have always felt that he is a better horse when able to get his toe in. He is rated to go close and could be reasonably well drawn if the stands rail proves the place to be. FATHOM FIVE is back to the same mark as when winning at Epsom in April and 5f on soft ground looks to be right up his street.

SHORTLIST

RULESN’REGULATIONS

FATHOM FIVE

HOGMANEIGH

CHEVETON

2.35 Newbury

Hasn’t DRILL SERGEANT been a grand old campaigner for connections this season? To own a horse that tough and game must be really thrilling. I would love to see him back in the Winners’ Enclosure here but I think there are one or two unexposed animals lurking in the woodwork. CLOWANCE is the first of those as she looked a very classy filly in 2008. However, here 4th in the Oaks proved to be her final start of the season following a set back and she wasn’t seen out again until running in the Irish St Leger last month. Despite the long absence, she ran an absolute belter to finish runner-up to the classy Alandi. I think she was getting tired in the latter stages but that was to be expected and she should strip much fitter tomorrow for the experience. HARBINGER was some shrewdies idea of the Derby winner in the spring but he also suffered a few setbacks. He bounced back with an impressive victory in the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood but now has questions to answer after a very lack lustre performance in the Great Voltigeur. If that proves to be a one off, he must be given every chance here. Barry Hills’ TASTAHIL would also be one that I wouldn’t be too keen to take on.

SHORTLIST

CLOWANCE

HARBINGER

2.55 Doncaster

This is a wide open contest but I was very impressed with INLER when he won on his debut at Newmarket last Friday. Well supported beforehand he clearly knew his job at the first time of asking as he showed plenty of speed to make all for a comfortable 4L success. He should come on for the run and if that is the case, I would be surprised if he is not involved in the finish, should he take up this option having also been declared at Newbury. CITRUS STAR has been very impressive when winning his last two starts at Pontefract and Windsor by 4 1/2 and 3 1/4L respectively and I see him as a serious rival. He was that impressive last time the handicapper upped him by 11lbs and he clearly looks an exciting prospect for next season. I am giving up on SINGEUR as I am risk of losing the profits I made on him earlier in the season but he ran a much better race in the Rockingham Stakes last time and I wouldn’t totally rule out a big run although he is more exposed than the two selections. One I won’t be writing off is COOLMINX who finished just in front of him at York. That was her first start over six furlongs and I don’t believe that she quite got home, so I am not surprised to see her drop back in trip. The final horse to catch my attention is the course and distance winning BAGAMOYO. He has done nothing wrong this season showing a likeable attitude on all four starts and if he gets the luck in running I can see him not being far away.

SHORTLIST

INLER

CITRUS STAR

3.30 Doncaster – Racing Post Trophy

Last weekend’s Dewhurst threw up more questions than answers in my opinion. I backed Xtension and despite the fact that he was beaten I am quite positive about him for next season. I do not go in for criticizing jockeys, as I have no idea what it is like to ride in a race, but Adam Kirby did worry me about backing the horse ante post for next year’s Guineas. For 6 ½ furlongs I thought he got it spot on but having watched the race on course and subsequently on the tv, I though he looked quite weak in the finish. Philip Robinson rode one for Clive Cox later on the card and I believe that had he been on board the result of the race would have been quite different. Anyway, the Racing Post Trophy looks a cracking renewal with Godolphin and Coolmore unleashing both their big guns. The $325,000 purchase AL ZIR represents the boys in blue and he looks to have a massive chance judged on his two easy successes so far, especially as he has won with ease in the ground in the past and has also won at Donny. On the downside he is yet to race over a mile and this represents a big step up in class. ST NICHOLAS ABBEY will also handle the conditions but importantly has already won over a mile. He beat Mark Johnston’s Layali Al Andalus by 3/4L in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh last time (more about that in a moment) and has a pedigree that has future Derby winner written all over it. If he is your fancy, I certainly wouldn’t put you off as I can’t see any cracks in his armour but he is likely to be quite short in the betting. Getting back to the Beresford Stakes, I know that Mark Johnston thinks a fair bit of his runner –up, but I also know that in his opinion SHAKESPEAREAN is the better horse of the two. In my opinion, the Solario Stakes isn’t always a race to win as it generally attracts those horses which trainers feel are a bit below the best level. Therefore, when SHAKESPEAREAN won it in August it concerned me that perhaps he wasn’t as good as I expected. However, his victory in the Goffs sales race last month confirmed my original opinion and at around 14/1, he could prove a lively outsider. These sales races, be it in Ireland or at York, Doncaster or Newmarket, usually take some winning and more often than not go the way of a very smart individual. The dogs have been barking COORDINATED CUT’S name around Newmarket for a few months now and he confirmed the promise he has been showing at home with a convincing, if not dazzling, victory at Doncaster on his debut. Chapple-Hyam won this race with Authorized, so clearly knows the sort of horse needed, and with Fallon booked for the ride the writing could be on the wall. John Dunlop’s yard are having a fine finish to the season so ELUSIVE PIMPERNEL, winner of the Acomb Stakes, can’t be dismissed with any degree of confidence although he is unproven over this extra furlong and on ground this soft. But, if he finishes like he did at York last time, his 11 rivals had better watch out.

SHORTLIST

COORDINATED CUT

SHAKESPEAREAN (E/W)

3.45 Newbury

This looks a tricky looking listed race but one that caught my eye last time was Henry Cecil’s JACQUELINE QUEST who routed her six rivals but 9L at Chester with Tom Queally hardly moving a muscle. Okay, it wasn’t a brilliant race and at 2/7 you would have expected her to win but she did it so easily it cannot be ignored. She is closely related to some useful animals and with Cecil second to none at bringing on fillies; I can see her making up into a very useful animal next season. SNOW FAIRY has more experience than most and put that to good use when narrowly losing out in a three way photo in the Group 3 Prestige Stakes in August. Sensibly, she has been given some time to recover since those exertions so I see her as a major player tomorrow. I am not sure what has happened to the impressive Hilary Needler winner DON’T TELL MARY as her last two starts have been shocking. But Tom Dascombe is stepping her up markedly in trip tomorrow and it could be that is what she needs at this stage of her career although how she fares in the betting may be the best guide to her chances.

SHORTLIST

JACQUELINE QUEST

SNOW FAIRY

DON’T TELL MARY

4.05 Doncaster

LOCHIEL has been going from strength to strength recently and although he is up another 6lbs tomorrow I am not sure that the handicapper has him yet after a very impressive effort at Newmarket last time. However, I would be willing to take him on with SPRING JIM who chased home the impressive Akmal at Yarmouth last time. John Dunlop’s son of Selkirk has really franked the form by since winning the Noel Murless and Jockey Club Cup on his latest two starts. SPRING JIM is no spring chicken but he doesn’t have many miles on the clock, has won twice at Donny in the past, is best suited by 1m4f and has shown that he handles some cut in the ground although admittedly he looks better on a sounder surface. I think CAMPS BAY has a little race in him somewhere but he doesn’t look the easiest horse to catch right. If he decides it’s a going day, he is weighted to go close. CAPE TRIBULATION could prove a dark horse as the softer the ground the better for him.

SHORTLIST

SPRING JIM

CAMPS BAY

CAPE TRIBULATION

4.55 Newbury

I won’t be tempted to have a bet in this but I will be interested to see just how good this RAINBOW PEAK is. This is his biggest ask to date but by all accounts he is a very useful animal.

SHORTLIST

RAINBOW PEAK