Doncaster & Kempton selections Saturday 29th March
The turf season on the flat commences at Doncaster today, so far this weekend at least, attention turns to the level before the spring jumping Festivals kick off in earnest. A classy renewal of the Lincoln looks tricky, but I have two hopefuls in the feature. The two listed contests though look punting material, as does the Rosebery, the feature on Kempton’s supporting card. We had a couple of each-way places last week through Old Cowboy (SP 9/1) and Scarface (SP 13/2)
Doncaster 2.25: Spycatcher
A horse with an excellent record fresh, it would be fair to assume that SPYCATCHER will be fit and firing for his return to the track, even at the advancing age of seven.
His first time out record over the previous four seasons has been excellent. A novice win at Pontefract, a narrow third on AW Finals day, an easy stakes win at Thirsk and a third in a Group 3 at Newmarket on ground faster than ideal.
He is better on a slower surface and won a Group 3 on soft ground at Deauville last summer. He finished his campaign with a perfectly respectable sixth in the Champions Day sprint at Ascot. James Doyle is booked for the ride today and for a horse with winning form over 7f, a stiff 6f should an ideal starting point for him.
Kempton 2.40: Killybegs Warrior
A front-running second in this race last season when with Charlie Johnston, KILLYBEGS WARRIOR can take advantage of an 11lbs drop in the ratings to score here for new trainer George Baker.
The horse has already proven both fitness and form by running three times in Bahrain, placing on his last two starts. However those runs have not affected his rating, despite the fact he has looked rejuvenated for the change of yards. His mark had plummeted after a series of poor performances last summer.
He is fully effective on this surface, given his fine run here last season and the fact he ran well in two Kentucky Derby trials on an All Weather surface in his 3yo days. A wide draw is the only negative, but provided he breaks well, Pat Cosgrave has the opportunity to get across the field and get handy into the first bend.
Doncaster 3.00: Point Lynas & Chic Colombine
Two each-way bets could be the way to go in his mile contest.
POINT LYNAS has graduated through the handicap ranks, winning a valuable pot at the Dante meeting at York last spring. However as a natural front-runner, he might be better suited to smaller field pattern races and demonstrated that win a listed win at Pontefract in July, making all the running as usual.
He presumably met with a small setback after that as we did not see him on track until reappearing in Bahrain last month. As usual he gave a bold show from the front, eventually holding on for second. That run should have put him spot on for today and he does not look likely to face much competition for the lead. The only concern is that he is best on fast going, but conditions should be drier than usual for this meeting.
CHIC COLOMBINE on the other hand is one who does appreciate some cut and comes into calculations off the back of a wind op this winter. She cruised to victory in a listed contest in France on her 2024 comeback and was an unlucky loser of a Group 3 on Derby Day at Epsom. However her form tailed off in two subsequent outings, presumably prompting the wind op.
She has gone well fresh in the past and definitely prefers a soft surface having won valuable nurseries as a juvenile here and at Goodwood on slow going. She does have something to find on ratings, but is unexposed and if the wind op has a positive effect I can see her finishing very strongly today.
Doncaster 3.35: Midnight Gun & Toimy Sun
Plenty here who are unexposed and quite capable of being competitive in group races here. Two horses who proved themselves in this type of handicap last season are favoured.
MIDNIGHT GUN has only had the seven races and won two small races for Ed Walker early in the summer before transferring to Hamad al Jehani. His sights were extended to the big handicaps from there and he took in a top handicap over 10f at Glorious Goodwood, looking the likely winner 1f out before being outstayed by Approval.
He had an off day at the same track next time, but bounced right back here at the October meeting when chasing home Harpers Ferry on soft going. He looks like he will have plenty more to offer as a 4yo and has been gelded since that last run. His central draw should give jockey James Doyle options as to where to send his horse during the race.
It took connections some time to work out TOIMY SON having acquired him from France in 2023. That campaign was a virtual write off, but 2024 was much more like it and he improved with virtually every run.
His big moment was winning the Golden Mile at Goodwood, where he has a fine overall record. However he proved just as adept on a straight track when third in the Cambridgeshire in the autumn. He finished with sixth in the Balmoral on Champions Day. Although his rating has now increased to 97, he actually started with David Menuisier off 108, so could have some mileage left and promising claimer Warren Fentiman eases the burden today. The trainer won this race two seasons ago, so knows what it takes to prepare one for the Lincoln.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Spycatcher – 2.25 Doncaster – 9/2 William Hill
1pt each-way – Killybegs Warrior – 2.40 Kempton – 9/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Point Lynas – 3.0 Doncaster – 9/1 Bet365, William Hill
0.5pts each-way – Chic Colombine– 3.0 Doncaster – 16/1 general
1pt each-way- Midnight Gun – 3.35 Doncaster – 8/1 William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 6)
1pt each-way – Toimy Son – 3.35 Doncaster – 14/1 general (many bookies 1/5 odds 1st 6)
