The Inside Track

Going through the form for today’s racing at Doncaster gave me the same feeling that I expect a gardener to get when he cuts the grass for the first time of the year.   Although it was nice to be watching reruns of last year’s racing, it was also a reminder of how tough some of these big field handicaps are.  At Doncaster today the 5 handicaps that I looked at have 22,22,17,16 and 20 runners, with most of them off the track for 6 months or more.  Bring it on!


2.05 Doncaster Leviathan 1pt win 14/1 General


After Leviathan won at Salisbury in soft ground last summer, I’m sure connections had The Lincoln on his radar.  He missed out on qualifying for that race, but the Spring Mile offers a nice consolation prize.  After Salisbury the way he was campaigned didn’t see him to best effect and as a result he starts the new season on a workable mark.  I’m sure he will win a decent prize this summer.
He’s been gelded since last season, and Tony Newcombe reports him to be moving a lot better than he did last year.  Although he may ultimately be at his best with cut in the ground, I will be surprised if there isn’t enough juice in the ground for him to go well today.
There looks to be pace on both sides of the course, which will give Dane O’Neill options from stall 13.  He will be dropped in early and I can see a strongly run mile on a straight course seeing him to best effect.  It’s a competitive race, but I can see him going very well.

3.15 Doncaster Already advised 1pt win Light From Mars 40/1
Todays bets – Eton Forever 1pt win 7/1 General


The 2 horses in this race that could prove much better than their current marks are Cocozza, and Fury.  Neither have any form in big field handicaps, and both have more hype than substance surrounding them.  As a form student I will always look to take this type of horse on.  I put Light From Mars up ante post, for the reasons illustrated in my ante post analysis, since then he’s been handed what looks to be a useful draw for his running style, and ground conditions look to be perfect.  Hopefully he will run a big race, but I’m also going to put up Eton Forever.

Eton Forever won the Spring Mile at this meeting last year.  That day he looked as though he could make up into a group performer, he never reached those heights, but he’s not the easiest horse to keep sound, and I think he may be best caught first time out.  Roger Varian reports that his preparation has gone perfectly, his win in the spring mile is the best piece of form on offer in the race, and we know that he’s a horse that is suited by a big field and a strong pace.

By putting him up, we have one horse running for us on either side of the track, so should the first race on the card show that there is a significant draw bias, then at least we have both bases covered.

4.55 Doncaster Landaman 1pt win 7/1 Hills and Sky


Landaman struck me as a horse that could make up in to a decent middle distance handicapper as a 4 year old.  Physically he looked weak last year, and he is certainly bred to be better than a 82 rated performer.  From a stable in good form, ridden by a jockey in the form of his life, he should go well in a race whereby he’s potentially the biggest improver.

5.30 Doncaster Alfred Hutchinson 1pt win 7/1 Generally


Raced 3 wide the whole way at Wolverhampton last time but was still too good for the opposition, and showed a good attitude when pulling clear with Southern State.  Geoffrey Oldroyd has always held this horse in high regard, and I think it’s significant that they put him away for the turf season rather than winning a couple of small prizes on the all weather.  He could well prove his initial rating of 75 is on the lenient side.

6.05 Doncaster Veiled Applause 1pt win 12/1 Bet 365 10/1 Hills


Won’t be getting any better at the age of 9, but that is more than reflected by his current handicap mark.  He has always gone well fresh, from a stable that can get them ready early.  He has his optimum conditions at a course where he has a good record, this looks like it will be strongly run, which will suit him perfectly.  I priced him up at 7/1 so the double figure prices this morning are certainly worth taking.