DONCASTER SATURDAY:

2.35 BETWAY CAMMIDGE TROPHY (6F)

The last two winners of this contest turn up again, with Jack Dexter expected to avenge his shock defeat at the hands of Dinkum Diamond a year ago. Jim Goldie’s six-year-old gelding tends to come to hand early, and can be relied upon to give his running, for all he is strictly held by Aetna on form over this course and distance when the pair were last seen. That came on heavy ground, which offers no real excuse for Jack Dexter, but Aetna does appear to need real ease in the ground to show her best, and while I’m a big fan of hers, she’d be opposable on good going, which seems likely, despite a forecast for light showers on race day.

One who won’t mind the expected sound surface is Astaire, who won the Middle Park Stakes on good ground as a juvenile, and was highly tried after finishing an excellent second in the Duke of York Stakes last May. Still lightly raced, he has the powerful build of a sprinter, and as such should prove even better with another winter behind him. The drop back to listed company looks the right move in terms of building his confidence, and he can be expected to head back to York if taking this contest in his stride. Heaven’s Guest will also relish underfoot conditions, and hails from a stable which has hit the ground running this spring, so appeals as an alternative to the selection, or indeed one to utilise with that one in exotic bets.

3.10 BETWAY SPRING MILE (1M)

One of the big dilemmas punters face on the opening day of the flat turf season is how to get to grips with any potential bias on the track at Doncaster, and it may pay to look back to the last meeting held on similar going here back in September. At that St Leger meeting, the fields came towards the stands side in the straight, but while that should have seen high numbers favoured, those drawn low actually won more than their share, especially on the opening day, when all but one of the winners came from stall two.

There is no inherent rail bias on Town Moor these days, with those tracking to the extremes losing more in ground covered/traffic problems than they stand to gain from any advantage the rail may confer. It’s still a standard ploy among jockeys in big fields to get across to the nearest rail in order to gain an advantage, but the evidence at Doncaster suggests that the generic shift towards the stands side in big fields actually benefits those drawn low to middle, who are more likely to negotiate a clear path up the centre of the track, which may well offer the best of the going in any case.

I believe the progressive Buckstay is an excellent bet in the Spring Mile, so long as young Tom Marquand isn’t under instruction to try to escape what might be viewed by some as a poor draw. If bouncing out and riding a straightforward race, I believe Marquand can gain the biggest success of his fledgling career on the son of Lawman, who I believe to be a cut above his rivals. An excellent second over this trip at Glorious Goodwood in July, he travelled as well as anything before just failing to see out nine furlongs in the Cambridgeshire, and he looks very well treated off the same mark. Throw in Marquand’s claim, and he stands out like a beacon against useful, but mostly exposed rivals.

3.45 BETWAY LINCOLN (1M)

It’s again tempting to side with one of those drawn low here, especially with plenty of early speed among the far-side contingent. That should be to the benefit of Belgian Bill, who is tactically versatile, and has been in fine form in Meydan this year. Suited by a strongly-run race at this sort of trip, he’s a dual course winner, and would benefit more than most if the forecast showers failed to materialise. He’s certainly on my shortlist, and I’m inclined to have a saver on him, but I’ve long had one in mind for this, and have no intention of deserting Zarwaan now.

One of the strongest pieces of handicap form among the three-year-old milers last year, as is often the case, was the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot won by Born In Bombay from a pair who showed themselves to be group performers subsequently. The unlucky horse that day was Zarwaan, who met trouble in running before finishing a close fifth. He was a little bit below that form when turned out three weeks later, but the collateral form has worked out tremendously well, and he looks on a very lenient mark based on the progress of those around him at Ascot. Expected to make into a much more mature performer this year, and with only three handicap starts to his name to date, he’s seemingly been prepared specifically for this contest before making the leap to pattern company himself, and while his relative inexperience is a concern in a race of this nature, he looks a young horse of real potential, and needs to be kept on side.

ASCOT SUNDAY

4.10 DAVIDSTOW VETERANS’ HANDICAP CHASE (3M)

He’s not easy to support on the evidence of two runs this season, but Chartreux faced a very stiff task in the Betbright Chase at Kempton last month, and ought to appreciate the drop into veterans’ company for the first time. A defeat of Grand Jesture in the Pat Taaffe Chase at Punchestown in May reads very well, and Tom George’s horses are really going well at present. Top-weight Creevytenant is sure to make a bold bid from the front, but his honest style may merely set things up for the selection, who will find the drying ground in his favour.

RECOMMENDED

ASTAIRE 2.35 Doncaster 1pt win @ 10/3 (William Hill)

BUCKSTAY 3.10 Doncaster 2pt win @ 9/1 (William Hill)