/ Timeform / 03 April 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Doncaster Races
"King of Eden looks the most interesting one in the second division as, unlike most of his rivals, he still has a bit of potential bearing in mind how he progressed last year as well as his tall, lengthy frame."
Yesterday's placepot at Doncaster paid over 19 grand, and by my reckoning today's card is more difficult if anything. Hopefully today's rewards will be similar should we be lucky enough to make it through all six legs...
13.40 - A nice easy one to start in the shape of a 22-runner amateur riders' handicap. I've got a hunch that it's probably not going to hurt to be up with the pace, so the first one in is the broadly reliable Jeer, who tends to be ridden forward nowadays; hopefully he'll be able to get across quickly from a potentially tricky wide draw. Squad is going to be held up and could find himself with plenty to do, but he's one of the more interesting runners from a handicapping perspective, as the form of his most recent win under today's rider worked out well. It's probably worth taking three to try and make sure, so in goes Arashi, who won first time up last year and is potentially fairly treated on his second in the Amateurs Derby at Epsom last season.
14.10 - We're going to be mob-handed in the handicaps, so this maiden provides the ideal opportunity to bank and save some valuable lines. The long absence is a slight concern, but King of Jazz already has form good enough to win this and fitness is unlikely to be an issue given the yard.
14.45 - Internationaldebut is the obvious first port of call, racing off a mark 3 lb lower than when a close second in the equivalent race last year, the booking of Fallon a further positive. New Leyf is almost certainly better on all-weather than turf, so he's a risky inclusion, but his last-time win at Lingfield was a comfortable career-best effort, and he won't need to match that form off his lower turf mark to go close. The third selection, Cyflymder, is much more speculative as he hasn't shown much for some time, but he's very well treated on his best form and is probably worth chancing in the hope that the switch to Declan Carroll has perked him up.
15.20 - King of Eden looks the most interesting one in the second division as, unlike most of his rivals, he still has a bit of potential bearing in mind how he progressed last year as well as his tall, lengthy frame. This may not be quite so competitive as the numbers suggest, so it's time to be bullish and bank.
15.55 - There aren't many you can rule out with much confidence in the sprint handicap, so it's time for a three-handed assault. The first one in is Johannes, who goes well fresh and isn't terribly handicapped on a couple of pieces of form from last year, particularly his reappearance win at York. Kellys Eye was a major eyecatcher in a C&D handicap on his final start last season and he looks worth including too, while the final one is Lutine Bell, who has been on an upward curve since joining the excellent Mike Murphy.
16.25- Time for another banker in the shape of November Handicap winner Times Up, who was admirably consistent last year, and sets the standard at today's weights.
Selections: 27 lines
13.40 - 4, 5, 7
14.10 - 7
14.45 - 4, 7, 14
15.20 - 8
15.55 - 5, 17, 19
16.25 - 4
Finally the Flat turf season really starts, and we've got some big fields at Doncaster to get our teeth into for the placepot......
Musselburgh is the scene of the latest Placepot attempt......
Ludlow looks an attractive proposition for Timeform's Phil Thompson today as he believes the prospects of landing the Placepot with just a single line are very real....
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