Katie Midwinter (30/03/23)
DONCASTER
2:25pm – Spring Mile Handicap (Class 2)
Broken Spear 10/1 (EW) – Tony Coyle, Billy Loughnane (5)
Seven-year-old Broken Spear has ground to suit and a favourable draw in stall 14. Promising young jockey Billy Loughnane, currently performing at a 38% strike rate, claims a useful 5lbs that could help the gelding bounce back to form. Tony Coyle’s charge has form closely tied with 90-rated Zip, and may be well treated off a mark of 82.
3:00pm – Cammidge Trophy Stakes (Listed Race)
Fast Response 10/1 (EW) – K R Burke, Sam James
Course-and-distance winner Fast Response is two from two at the track and is unbeaten on ground described as soft or heavy. There is plenty in her favour despite her inferior rating and, with conditions to suit, she could run well enough to enter calculations.
3:35pm – Lincoln (Heritage Handicap)
Al Mubhir 4/1 – William Haggas, Andrea Atzeni
Empirestateofmind 20/1 (EW) – John Quinn, Taylor Fisher (5)
There’s a lot to like about four-year-old Al Mubhir‘s profile. By Frankel out of Group Three winning mare Muffri’Ha, he is nicely bred and looks to be a progressive type. William Haggas’ is currently performing at a 57% strike rate ahead of the Flat season opener, and he is known for giving young horses time to develop.
Al Mubhir is up 7lbs for his win at Haydock when last seen, but could still be capable of performing at a much higher mark and copes well with testing conditions. Drawn in stall 10 could allow jockey Andrea Atzeni the freedom to place his mount in the perfect position to pounce late on and justify favouritism.
Stablemate Montassib is worth considering as a talented and consistent horse, whilst the senior Safe Voyage is a big price at 40/1 and could go well with ground to suit.
From an each-way perspective Empirestateofmind is an intriguing contender. His form figures read well over a mile on soft and with perfect race conditions and Taylor Fisher claiming a valuable 5lbs aboard, he could make the frame.
KEMPTON
2:05pm – Magnolia Stakes (Listed Race)
Belloccio 6/1 – David Menuisier, Daniel Muscutt
David Menuisier’s likeable roan gelding Belloccio has 3lbs to find with favourite Secret State, giving 3lbs away. He is bidding for a hat-trick of wins and has previously run well when fresh. The manner in which he won the Wild Flower Stakes was impressive with Dubai Gold Cup runner-up Siskany in third and Berkshire Rocco, who has since franked the from, in fourth. Belloccio showed good form as a juvenile in winning a Listed Race at Toulouse and appears back on song now.
5:00pm – London Middle Distance Series Qualifier Handicap (Class 4)
Simply Sondheim 7/2 – George Boughey, William Buick
Simply Sondheim remains off a mark of 87 having disappointed at Newmarket when last seen. Last season he recorded a six-timer after being gelded and is 31lbs higher than when beginning his winning sequence. He could bounce back to form for George Boughey.
(All prices/runners are correct at the time of writing)
THE CONDITIONAL 