19:15 Doncaster

Saturday 7 June 2025

All16:0016:3517:1017:4518:1518:4519:1519:50

Happy Birthday Nigel Kirby Handicap

Off time: 19:20 | Winning time: 1m 24.0s

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Selected odds by:

(7)

Glenfinnan²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: M Dods| OR: 93| D

22/1

12/1, fourteenth of 16 in handicap at York (6f, good) 24 days ago. Back down to his last winning mark and he's by no means discounted.

Form: 0100-00

(12)

Billyjoh^p⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: Frederick Larson| T: M Appleby| OR: 92| C

9/1

Course winner. Fifteen runs since last win in 2024. Respectable third of 11 in handicap at Leicester (6f, good to firm, 11/1) 42 days ago. Can make presence felt.

Form: 3004-83

(9)

Rock Walk^t⁸³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Marco Ghiani| T: M Botti| OR: 92| D

33/1

66/1, fourth of 14 in handicap at Jebel Ali (8f) 83 days ago. Probably on a reasonable mark for this British/stable debut, but probably best watched on this occasion all the same.

Form: 3/2779-4

(14)

Two Tribes^b²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: George Wood| T: R Spencer| OR: 90| BF

6/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2023. Creditable fourth of 16 in handicap (5/1) at York (6f, good) 24 days ago, nearest finish. Looks ready for this step up to 7f and he's a big player off the same mark.

Form: 5476-34

(3)

Superposition²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Callum Shepherd| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 90

7/1

Two wins from 3 runs this year. 5/2, career best when winning 12-runner handicap at Kempton (8f) 23 days ago, readily. 8 lb higher mark to overcome now returned to turf, but that doesn't look insurmountable.

Form: 34/5-141

(2)

Eldrickjones²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: Rowan Scott| T: Roger Fell| OR: 90| D

9/1

Latest win at Newcastle in May. 16/1, good second of 22 in handicap at York (7f, good) 22 days ago, running on. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 8978-12

(8)

Lord Bertie^h1⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Mark Winn| T: D O'Meara| OR: 90| D

33/1

12/1, first run since leaving Jane Chapple-Hyam when sixth of 9 in handicap at Musselburgh (7.1f, good) 49 days ago, left poorly placed. The first-time hood will need to help eke out a bit more. Yard also fields Akkadian Thunder.

Form: 08120-6

(15)

Havana Blue²⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Ryan Sexton| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 90| DWS

18/1

16/1, good fourth of 17 in handicap at Leopardstown (7f, good) when last seen 8 months ago. Since undergone another wind op and resumes on the same mark, but it's reasonable to assume that he'll come on for the run.

Form: 765124-

(13)

Grand Traverse³⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: William Cox| T: A Watson| OR: 89| D

33/1

Tenth of 13 in this race (good to firm, 18/1) 12 months ago. Absent since and it's probably best to look elsewhere on this occasion.

Form: 37/1070-

(4)

Akkadian Thunder²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: D Nolan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 89| BF| CD

11/4

C&D winner. Seventh of 10 in handicap (11/4) at Ascot (6f, firm) 29 days ago, caught further back than ideal. Has good chance on pick of form.

Form: 0283-87

(5)

Apotheosis^h,t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: P J McDonald| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 89| D

5/1

Creditable third of 9 in handicap (11/4) at Goodwood (7f, good) 15 days ago, nearest finish. Solid each-way chance off 1 lb lower here.

Form: 3114-33

(1)

Cruyff Turn²³

Age: 8| Weight: 9-4| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 88| D

14/1

Latest win at Redcar in April. Twelfth of 14 in handicap at York (7.9f, good, 18/1) 23 days ago and he's likely to come up short once more.

Form: 55-4140

(11)

Rhythm Master^p²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: K Stott| T: G A Harker| OR: 87| D

15/2

Twenty runs since last win in 2022. Creditable third of 8 in handicap at Thirsk (8f, good to firm, 15/2) 21 days ago. Strike rate isn't great, but he's another with an each-way shout.

Form: 502203

(10)

Sailthisshipalone²³²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: O McSweeney⁽³⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 82| D

25/1

15/2, sixth of 8 in handicap at Haydock (8.2f, heavy). Off 7 months and his claims are not as compelling as some of the others.

Form: 646506-

Non-Runners

(6)

Warm Spell²⁹

Weight: 9-4| Age: 4

T: D M Loughnane J: Edward Greatrex

Forecasts

Akkadian Thunder (11/4), Apotheosis (5/1), Two Tribes (6/1), Superposition (7/1), Rhythm Master (15/2), Billyjoh (9/1), Eldrickjones (9/1), Warm Spell (12/1), Cruyff Turn (14/1), Havana Blue (18/1), Glenfinnan (22/1), Sailthisshipalone (25/1), Lord Bertie (33/1), Rock Walk (33/1), Grand Traverse (33/1)

It's fair to say that TWO TRIBES has become expensive to follow, but he has resumed this season with a couple of solid efforts in strong handicaps and, with this step up to 7f a good move, he is taken to belatedly add to his 2-y-o success. If Superposition is able to reproduce something akin to his improved all-weather form now back on turf he will surely have a say in the finish. Akkadian Thunder is on a workable mark and he is also shortlisted, along with Apotheosis and Billyjoh.