Kempton Saturday

2.08 Virgin Bet Queen’s Prize Handicap 1m 7f 218y

Blindedbythelights hasn’t won since his three-year-old campaign but was runner-up on all three starts last year and ran well on his return when beaten a short-head by the prolific Story Horse at Newmarket. He backed that up when an excellent second in the Brown Jack Stakes at Ascot when last seen, beaten only by a three-year-old who went close in the Melrose Stakes at York next time, with the third and fourth also winning next time out to underpin the form.

Blindedbythelights can hang under pressure, that trait costing him victory at least once, but he looked well suited by making the running at Ascot, and battled well when headed. He’s not the sort to quicken instantly and will need to use his big stride to stretch his rivals, but he’s proven fresh and stays every yard of this trip so is taken to score off what is clearly a very fair mark.

2.42 Virgin Bet A Good Bet Rosebery Handicap 1m 2f 219y

Respond is a four-year-old destined for better things this season, as he showed when making all for an easy win on his return to action at Chelmsford, beating Dark Moon Rising by a growing three-and-a-half-length margin and looking an improved model. He showed last year that he doesn’t have to make the running, but he settled much better given his head last time and I would imagine that the tactics will be repeated.

The handicapper has taken action with an 8lb rise, but he looked a class apart from his rivals last time and can defy his new mark, with an extra furlong here likely to suit given how strongly he finished last time.

Military Academy looks a danger with the talented Alexandra Egan able to claim 7lb off the top-weight and this course and distance winner ran his best race since joining Jane Chapple-Hyam when a close third in the Winter Derby last month. Effectively running off 98 here, he has more than enough class to make his presence felt.

3.13 Virgin Bet Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes (Listed) 1m

There isn’t a great deal to choose between Survie and Cathedral on the adjusted ratings, with both fillies proven in much stronger company, and the vote goes to the latter on value grounds. Cathedral comes from a yard whose runners are performing well without winning in recent weeks and she is dropped in class here having finished close up in a trio of Group 1 races last season, notably when beaten a length and three-quarters in the Matron Stakes behind Fallen Angel. She may need a stiffer test than this ideally, but still appeals on her form at a mile and should go very close.

Survie will be favourite having finished third in the Neom Turf Cup at Riyadh last month, but she was doing her best work late over an extended 10 furlongs there, and any minor concerns about the selection over a sharpish mile are mirrored with her, making her less appealing at the predicted odds.

Doncaster Saturday

1.20 William Hill Bill Turner Memorial Brocklesby Stakes 5f 3y

It would be something of a fairytale if Kathy Turner was able to win the Brocklesby run in honour of her late father, who had such a good record in the opening juvenile event of the season, but it really doesn’t look a betting race given all we can go on is a mix of stable reputation, pedigree and foaling dates.

Bill The Bull appeals more than most on paper, being a half-brother to two-year-old debut winner Jungleinthbungle and hailing from the stable of rookie trainer Adam Kirby. I’ve always thought that Kirby had the makings of a shrewd trainer and he’s made a solid start with a win and two second places from his first seven runners.

1.50 William Hill Cammidge Trophy Stakes (Listed) 6f 2y

Spycatcher won this race last year when James’s Delight was unlucky not to be placed after being broadsided by a wayward rival a furlong out when challenging. A replay shows he would not have won but would probably have finished a creditable third. Clive Cox’s gelding met Spycatcher at level weights 12 months ago and now receives 5lb from that rival, so ought to finish much closer this time. Both are proven fresh, but James’s Delight goes under the radar a little, and appeals as the each-way value in what looks a really open contest.

2.25 William Hill Spring Mile Handicap 1m

Principality is the type to land a decent handicap this term and – with his yard in red hot form – now looks the time to back him. A winner at Goodwood last term, he ran well in defeat on a number of occasions and had excuses for his last couple of runs, being drawn wider than ideal back at Goodwood and then racing in the disadvantaged group up the centre of the track at Newmarket.

He fared best of those who raced in isolation there and is clearly on a workable mark, while Harry Eustace saddled an across-the-card double on Wednesday with Mr Ubiquitous and Autumn Affair, and has had four winners from his last dozen runners.

Principality was a sprinter for Richard Hannon but improved for the step up to a mile last summer for new connections and remains unexposed at this sort of trip. With fitness unlikely to be an issue here, he’s expected to repay each-way support and the early 16/1 never looked likely to last.

2.57 William Hill Doncaster Mile Stakes (Listed) 1m

Docklands is rightfully favourite for the Donny Mile but he is likely to be using this as a stepping stone for the Bet365 Mile at Sandown/Queen Anne at Royal Ascot and is short enough at around 11/8.

One who lacks such ambitions but is suited by this track and trip is Treble Tee, who beat Cash here last season (Principality back in fifth) and he was fancied for the Cambridgeshire on his next start only for the extra furlong to catch him out. He may do better still this season, and this is his level for the time being, so he makes appeal having been put in as the outsider of the party.

3.32 William Hill Lincoln (Heritage Handicap) 1m

Jamie Spencer will be keen to make amends for the dreadful ride he gave La Botte in the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton, where the jockey did everything wrong and the horse caught the eye in a huge way.

The pair who dominated the early stages remained at the head of affairs throughout that day while Spencer anchored La Botte 15 lengths off the modest pace, and then somehow blew the home turn despite there being plenty of room to find a run through his rivals. He then decided not to go for his stick in a sprint finish, but was still beaten just under two lengths.

La Botte looks a group horse in the making for Harry Eustace and comments about the yard’s form stand here. I thought he might have won by a few lengths last time with a better judged ride and can prove the point by winning in a race which is bound to set up more kindly even if exaggerated waiting tactics are employed again, which hardly seems necessary.