At The Races pundit Declan Rix gives us his five selections for a cracking Saturday of action at Doncaster, live on Sky Sports Racing.
CALICO
11.50 – SBK Handicap Chase (Class 2) (5yo+) – 2m78y
You could easily argue that 142 is high enough in the ratings for CALICO on what we know, but he does take on plenty older horses here – some out of form and others who may not be as comfortable as him around Doncaster’s inside chase track on good ground – and 3lb claimer Tristan Durrell eases his burden.
The Skelton inmate needs to bounce back from a slightly below par run at Cheltenham 42 days ago, but he probably had too much use made of him in parts, while other horses didn’t exactly give him an easy time on the front-end at various stages.
Calico in action under Harry Skelton over hurdles
The strong-travelling and sound-jumping son of Soldier Hollow looked in decent order before he understandably got tired on the run to the last in his most recent effort, and he certainly shaped better than the 17 lengths beaten.
The combination of a flatter track on better ground this Saturday see him as a strong each-way player, especially if his rider can get the fractions right around a course and distance he won at last season.
ASHROE DIAMOND
2.05 – SBK Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (4yo+) – 2m128y
It’s been 10 years since Annie Power won this race for Willie Mullins and seven since Vroum Vroum Mag also justified short odds for the powerful Closutton stable. They, the Mullins juggernaut, return with a strong hand again this season, both Gala Marceau and ASHROE DIAMOND declared under Danny and Patrick Mullins, respectively.
It’s the latter horse and jockey who get the nod however, the penalty structure of the race and a recent run deciding factors in a contest where the late betting market could prove useful. Both Mullins-trained mares are keen-goers, that especially the case of Gala Marceau, so the presence of the sometimes tearaway Stainsby Girl is surely welcome by the Irish raiders.
Ashroe Diamond is set for the Grade Two Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster
Pace and cover will suit Ashroe Diamond, for all the latter might be hard to come by in this six-runner affair. The strapping daughter of Walk In The Park had an excellent novice hurdle campaign in 2022/23, running fine races behind the likes of Marine Nationale and Facile Vega before winning Grade 3 and Grade 1 mares’ only contests at Fairyhouse.
Her recent return behind Teahupoo and Impaire Et Passe was a sound one and she takes on nothing like that sort of company here.
SAIL AWAY
3.15 – SBK Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (5yo+) – 2m7f214y
A field of 18 go forward for the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase in what, as you might expect, is a typically competitive renewal. Good ground around Doncaster’s inside chase track means you simply need a horse who will travel, a trait that is the hallmark of SAIL AWAY.
The forward-going grey showed he was very much at home around a flat, left-handed course on nice ground at Ayr last season, and you really get the feeling his two runs this season have been building blocks to this £56,950-to-the-winner prize.
At Newbury on seasonal debut, the son of Martaline shaped much better than the distance beaten by Kandoo Kid over an inadequate two-and-a-half miles before taking a step forward last time out over this course and distance, in what will be a key form race for this contest.
It was nice to see the eight-year-old finish his race a bit better there, for all you’d like to have seen a little more, but a 2lb drop in the weights, getting back on faster ground and a 42-day break in allowing the Skelton team to being him to a boil, hopefully mean he is primed to go close at an each-way price.
WHISTLEINTHEDARK
3.15 – SBK Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (5yo+) – 2m7f214y
In that same race at Doncaster, and in-front of Sail Away, WHISTLEINTHEDARK ran well to be fourth behind Forward Plan.
A wide early trip and possibly getting to the front sooner than ideal mean that was a good effort from the Laura Morgan inmate, but the addition of cheekpieces are hugely interesting given how lazily the son of Fame And Glory raced in parts last time out.
In a race run at a start-stop gallop, no matter how quick or slow the pace was, his rider Kevin Brogan was always working suggesting, he could be the type to really improve for first-time headgear. With his progressive yard among the winners of late, he is another who can run well at a big price.
MONMIRAL
3.50 – SBK Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Class 3) (5yo+) – 2m7f214y
For quite a while now, MONMIRAL has looked worth chancing over ~3m given his lazy, behind the bridle style and stout pedigree.
As the seven-year-old has aged, he has taken a more relaxed approach to life, not making it easy for some of his jockeys. The fact he has been a little hard to keep in peak condition hasn’t helped either in a bit of a stop-start career, but this is the easiest race he has contested in a while.
Monmiral ridden by Harry Cobden in action the Paddy Power Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham
The Ditcheat inmate has only had four chase starts, but when he has been in good nick, he has shown himself well-able to jump fences, despite his inexperience. Saturday’s trip can hopefully allow Bryony Frost to build into a race before showing his stamina late on.
By Saint Des Saints, sire of Djakadam, Fastorslow, Protektorat et al, and out of a dam related to La Landiere, a three-mile winner, Saturday’s trip might well improve Monmiral, who has dropped to a very winnable mark.