Horse Racing Picks and Analysis
It’s the “official start” of the turf racing season in England at Doncaster. So, where else would Tom and Rich be?
Doncaster Racecourse (Free Doncaster Past Performances)
Race 2 – Pertemps Network Spring Mile Handicap
Race 3 – Pertemps Network Cammidge Trophy Stakes
Race 4 – Pertemps Network Lincoln (Heritage Handicap)
Race 5 – Pertemps Network Doncaster Mile Stakes
Race 7 – Pertemps Network Apprentice Handicap (Round 1 of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Future Stars Series)
Doncaster Horse Racing Tips
22 to 1 Tom’s Tips
Race 2 – 2:25
Pertemps Network Spring Mile Handicap Cl2 (4yo+) 1m
11 – Titian – Draw 10
Two races this year on the AW, and ok efforts overall but just ok.
He ran 4th last time out and 3rd the race before. Both these races were at the distance of 10.2F and 9.5F.
The shortest distance he has run in the past ten races is that 9.5F race.
But he has a good record at 8F with two starts, and one win, one placing.
He won at York last year, going 10.3F.
He has also been good on soft going with 4 starts 2 wins 1 placing.
So why here? After failed attempts at the hurdles and some success at flat racing, the straight mile and the distance are his game.
3 – Arthur’s Realm – Draw 22
He’s run once this season at Newcastle (AW), and it appeared to be more of an excise. He was asked for more and nothing at the end. Fitness or getting him ready for this race.
He hasn’t won with 2021 but faired ok in races at the handicap 2 and 3 levels.
He has two wins and five placings, with ten starts on the soft going.
The distance record is okay overall, with three wins and three placings from 14 starts.
This 5yo hasn’t won in a while, but if anything is indicated off the last race, he could be sitting on big efforts here. Outside draw should help.
7 – Tropez Power – Draw 8
He has been racing since December on the AW with five starts and good efforts overall, with two wins, 2 seconds, and one-third at the 8F plus distance.
Last year at Doncaster, he missed by a neck running second, and in the race before ran 6th in a race where the distance was too far for him.
He’s had success at lower handicap levels, so this is a step up for him, but the owners crossed entered him but didn’t draw into the Lincoln, so they like his current form, but can he win here? Will see.
It would be best if you got good odds on this one.
Race 3 – 3:00
Pertemps Network Cammidge Trophy Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 (3yo+) 6f
6 – King’s Lynn – Draw 7
The season’s last race in group 1 at Ascot could have been better, running 10th. But that 10th is deceptive because they ran in 2 groups, and he ran 5th of 10 in the group it was with.
He won a Group 2 at Haydock, just hanging on. This was in May.
The season’s first race was an even race running 2nd at Chester and losing to a horse that just ran in Dubai – Flaming Rib.
In the past two years, he’s mainly run in a listed or group company against the best sprinters.
If ready, he could prove the best here.
4 – El Caballo – Draw 9
After the great success of winning 6 out of 8 races, including a group 2 race, he went to Royal Ascot and ran an awful race running 18th behind Perfect Power in group 1. Then he was off until today’s race. Something went wrong.
Now give him some time off, and is he ready to go?
I think so, or they won’t place him in this race.
12 – Wilderness Girl – Draw 2
She’s only won 1 race from 9 starts, but they placed her in some interesting, listed races, including ParisLongchamp; she ran 2nd in her last race of the season.
Now run her at a distance shorter than any of her other races.
The notes indicate that she would prefer the softer going.
Maturity will help this 4yo, and this placement is interesting because they either want to see if they have any special or give her a run with another race in mind.
Race 4 – 3:35
Pertemps Network Lincoln (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 (4yo+) 1m
21 – Majestic – Draw 16
This lightly raced 5yo has had an interesting career. The first race was a bumper race at 16F, then moved through the ranks to the handicap class 2 level and won a 9F race at Newmarket at 25-1 for his final start of the year.
With a record of 8 starts, two wins, and four placings (plus one race in a bumper and wind surgery after that race). This is a horse who came into his own.
His record at 8F is one win and three placings from 4 starts.
The trainer has had two starters in the last 14 days, and they both have won. Hmmmm.
2 – Awaal – Draw 17
Only a four-race career with four starts, two wins, and two placings.
Two races on AW were at the class 5 level, then a turf race at Haydock, also at the class 5 level, ran second.
He was moved up to the handicap class 3 level for the final start of his season and won at Redcar on heavy going.
James Doyle riders and a top handicap or listed race make perfect sense to start this season.
4 – Greatgadian – Draw 6
Tso races this year on the AW at 8F and 10F and made good efforts running 4th and then 3rd.
The comment noted the last effort as “a solid effort.”
He’s a better AW runner than turf but has won once on the turf and placed a couple of times.
I look at the last race and say, why not a run in the money here?
Race 5 – 4:10
Pertemps Network Doncaster Mile Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 (4yo+) 1m
3 – Poker Face – Draw 7
It’s hard for me to go against this horse because he’s undefeated and won the last by over eight lengths before the layoff.
He drops back to 8F but has won at this distance too.
Ok, it’s against maiden, novice, and class 4 handicap horses, but the closes horse to him was 1.5 lengths behind
He won his last on good to soft, so the soft shouldn’t be an issue.
7 – Astral Beau – Draw 2
Before the layoff, he won his last race at 7F at Newmarket in a class 4 handicap over 16 other horses. He was the favorite.
He has a good record of 9 starts, four wins, and one placing, and he likes the soft going with four starts, three wins, and one placing.
He started his career going 8F plus without a win, and his worst race was 7th at Leicester.
The 7F distance is his winning distance so far but this 4yo filly fits in here with the boys.
Let’s see what she can do.
2 – Imperial Fighter – Draw 6
He has only one win at Goodwood at 7F on soft going.
He’s been running in Group 1 races in France, Ireland, and England, with the best finishes being 3rd. Better results in group 3 races with a 2nd place finish.
From his maiden win, it’s all been group action and one listed race; technically, is this a drop-in class?
He been good enough to finish in the money and I think that’s what he will do again.
Race 7 – 5:20
Pertemps Network Apprentice Handicap (Round 1 of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Future Stars Series) Cl5 (4yo+ 0-70) 1m2f
4 – Mrs Meader – Draw 9
She hasn’t done much wrong later year, winning her last 2 races going 12F and 10F.
Coming in off the layoff, the only concern in “is she ready” to win here.
The level is right, and the jockey has won on her before.
The one to beat.
2 – Lunar Jet – Draw 1
Very average to awful efforts in his last ten races, with the best finish a 3rd in July at this track.
So why consider it? The drop-in class has got to help.
He’s racing at the class 4 level and getting beat by 54L. But these are over the fences, and he has a better record on the flat.
So down to class 5, he likes the distance and no hurdles.
8 – Glory and Honour – Draw 11
Here’s a horse who has done nothing over the hurdles unless you like losing by 34 lengths in one race.
But, on the flat, eight starts, two wins going 12F.
He did try the AW at Newcastle and lost by 4.5 lengths.
In this group, I will give them a chance at a distance he’s done ok at and has won on the soft going.
Rich’s Ranks
Race 2: SPRING MILE HANDICAP
#11 – TITIAN – won last two on a soft track
#6 – THE GATEKEEPER – won 1st up after more than a year off, maybe a new level
#21 – MAYSONG – distance 10-1-5-1 and lone not on AW was heavy, good run, 2nd up
#1 – ISLA HAI – all or nothing at Doncaster, 5/2-0-0
Race 3: CAMMIDGE TROPHY STAKES
#1 – ASJAD – won his last two 1st up races, one on soft at Doncaster
#4 – EL CABALLO – winner of 6/4 but AW might be the better surface
# 10 – FAST RESPONSE – unbeaten in two at Doncaster
# 6 – KING’S LYNN – Doncaster 4/2-2-0, three of last four soft races were good
Race 4: LINCOLN (HERITAGE HANDICAP)
#5 – ATRIUM – soft record is good, including a win at Doncaster and distance, 7/3-0-1
#2 – AWAAL – the pair of turf runs were good, ran away from the field on heavy
15 – WANEES – all or nothing horse – 7/4-0-0 turf, 1 mile is the right distance 3/2-0-0, unbeaten in 2 of soft
#22 – YANIFER – bomb city – won lone Doncaster race, won last 2nd up on soft
Race 5: DONCASTER MILE STAKES
#3 – POKER FACE – undefeated in three and smoked the field by 8 ½ lengths in lone soft go
#7 – ASTRAL BEAU – 9/4-1-1, won three of the four on a soft track and second in the other
#4 – TACARIB BAY – quintessential Tom horse, win, probably not, in the money – yes
#6 – TOIMY SON – occasionally pops a big race and he does, typically on soft footing
Race 7: APPRENTICE HANDICAP
#4 – MRS MEADER – won two of last three fresh runs, with a third in the other
#8 – GLORY AND HONOUR – been running marathons over 2 miles, 1 ½ miles might be the perfect distance – maybe today’s 1 ¼ is within the margin for error
#3 – ALDBOURNE – soft record is good winning last two, first up not so much
#2 – LUNAR JET – if he is going to win, this will be the distance with 6 in 19 tries and just 1 in 37 at any other length
