14:25 Doncaster
Saturday 1 April 2017
All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:2017:50
Betway Spring Mile Handicap (Str)
- 4YO plus | Class 2 | 1m | Good to Soft (Good in places) | 21 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 1m 38.3s
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Lightly raced individual who looked progressive last year but best performances have come when making all and he may struggle to do that, with plenty of pace in the race. Trainer has a fine strike rate of 25% here and eye-catching jockey booking so not one to put a line through but tough ask off top-weight and unlikely to want any more rain.
Good strike-rate with five wins from his last 10 outings and trainer has a good record with horses returning from a break. Disappointing on his last couple of starts at the end of last season but looked progressive prior to that and he looks versatile with regards to tactics and ground. Each-way player.
Second to Lightning Spear two starts back looks like a high-class piece of form on the AW and won a Sandown handicap well enough last time out, finishing to good effect but the form of that race has taken a few knocks since. Unlikely to want more rain and can be tardy from the stalls so looks opposable as one of the likely market leaders.
Well-suited to the straight mile and still looks on a workable mark having only gone up 2lb for a close second in an end of season York handicap. Looks the first string on jockey booking but best form has come on faster ground than he's likely to get here so others preferred this time.
A hit-and-miss sort who hasn't won for nearly two years. On a workable mark and trainer does well with his seasonal returners but his best efforts have come on fast ground and looks unlikely to get anything like good to firm here.
Running very well on the AW of late, recording three wins from his last four starts and winning the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton most recently. Gives the impression there's more to come and looks like one of the better handicapped horses in the race, often finding plenty for pressure. Plenty to like about his chances but the draw would be a slight concern with plenty of the pace drawn low.
Very hard to catch right but useful when everything falls his way. Enjoys a straight mile and should get a strong pace to aim at, so with his jockey well worth his 3lb claim, he's one of the more interesting candidates.
Just one win from 12 starts but finished a good third at York last season, possibly helped by a draw bias. Disappointing at Carlisle last time and drawn out on the wing here, so he's unlikely to find this any easier but trainer has a good record with horses returning from a break and the jockey booking is eye-catching.
Possibly didn't get home over 1m2f when last seen but looked progressive prior to that and he's proven over a straight mile with wins at Ascot and Haydock last autumn. Could well be more to come this season and looks to have fared well with the draw so he could go well for a jockey who rides this course well.
Just a modest strike-rate with one win from 15 starts and the mile doesn't look like his optimum trip judged on his previous runs at this distance. Trainer and jockey have a good strike-rate when teaming up and the gelding is versatile ground wise but he may be in too deep here.
Has made good progress for this yard through the winter and has form figures that read 2111423 in his last seven starts. However, this front-runner may want faster ground when it comes to turf and he's unplaced on nine starts on grass. With much of the pace likely to be on the other side, his jockey will need to get the fractions spot on if he's to prevail.
A consistent type who finally ended a long losing sequence last summer but failed to add to that in his AW campaign through the winter. Well beaten in this race last year and he's probably a better horse on a turning track so may struggle from a mark that can only be described as fair here.
Made a very promising start to his career back in 2015 but progress halted since and doesn't look the easiest to train, with several absences in his short career. Signs he was working his way back to form last time on the AW with a repectable fifth. and well handicapped on old form but no certainty to be the force of old.
Impressive winner of this race last year but that win may have left its mark and only seen twice since; disappointing on both occasions. Obvious claims if back to his best and only 5lb higher than last year's mark so likely to be primed for this but does have well-being to prove.
Two wins from 15 starts and they both came on the AW at Chelmsford. Sold relatively cheaply (8,000 gns) to this yard at the end of last year though and may struggle back on turf in a race as competitive as this.
Consistent sort but he struggles off a mark this high. Could run into a place but likely to bump into better handicapped rivals and trainer has a low strike-rate at this track (4.63%).
Just one win since his debut but that did come in similar conditions at Newmarket. Form of that race not the strongest on offer and he's struggled from a revised mark since but some of his best efforts have come when fresh and he's not dismissed out of hand.
Easy winner over the straight mile at Newcastle recently but got it all his own way on the front end after setting easy fractions. Up 6lb for that and may struggle back in a more competitive race.
Good effort at this course when last seen finishing fourth of 17 but best efforts have come on better ground than he's likely to get here and he gives the impression the mile stretches his stamina. Looks opposable and trainer's runners often come on for their run after a break.
Very respectable third behind Flaiming Spear at Newcastle in what looks like a hot race with the form having been franked several times since. Coped best from off the pace that day and could well be drawn on the right side here so plenty to like about his chances off such a low weight and a jockey claiming 7lb who has a good strike-rate on turf.
Improved plenty last summer when winning in heavy ground at Nottingham before running good races in three Class 2 handicaps. Well beaten when he was a well-backed favourite at Chepstow last time but can be forgiven that. Likely to face stiff competition for the lead with the pace looking like it's on this side but could hang on for a place.
Non-Runners
11
(21)
Sea of Flames28
Weight: 9-6| Age: 4
T: D R C Elsworth J: Non Runner
NR
Forecasts
Sacred Act (9/2), Nimr (5/1), Ballet Concerto (8/1), Raising Sand (8/1), Another Touch (11/1), Sinfonietta (12/1), Examiner (14/1), Swift Emperor (20/1), Mutarakez (20/1), God Willing (20/1), Candelisa (25/1), Mount Tahan (25/1), Sir Roderic (25/1), Holiday Magic (25/1), Gabrial's Kaka (25/1), Father Bertie (25/1), Sea of Flames (25/1), Fuwairt (33/1), London Protocol (33/1), Lord Of The Rock (33/1), Strong Steps (50/1), Lat Hawill (66/1)
Nimr keeps on winning and he could still be well-handicapped after winning the Lincoln trial at Wolverhampton before failing to get in to that race later on the card. However, with much of the pace looking like it's on the other side, it just tempers enthusiasm for win purposes. An interesting alternative is FUWAIRT who looks set to get a nice tow into the race from the likes of Sinfonietta and the form of his third at Newcastle when last seen looks like it could be worth following. This may have been the long-term target after that race and he's taken to get his head in front. The aforementioned David Menuisier runner will likely give the selection a good pace to run at and he himself may be able to hang on for a place despite a disappointing run at Chepstow when last seen. Gabriel's Kaka is another who will enjoy the expected strong pace and appears to be on a fair mark.
- Fuwairt
- Nimr
- Sinfonietta
Prize Money
1st: £28,012.002nd: £8,388.003rd: £4,194.004th: £2,097.005th: £1,048.006th: £526.00
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