The flat is back on Saturday, with the first turf races of the flat season taking place at Doncaster. With eight races from Town Moor and Kempton being shown live on ITV, Joe Napier gives four selections worth a wager on the day.
2.25 Doncaster – William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Cammidge Trophy Stakes (Listed)
So early on the flat season, form when fresh can be so important for those who haven’t contested races on the all-weather over the winter. There is a fear that Marshman lost his form with racing last term and may now be better on artificial surfaces, so James’s Delight and SPYCATCHER become the two of most interest.
Although the former could progress more now that he is a four-year-old, the selection is plenty experienced enough and has a fantastic record after a break. He won on his first starts of the 2021 and 2023 seasons, and finished third to open 2022 and 2024. He has also scored after a 113-day mid-season gap too.
He was two lengths ahead of James’s Delight when a close sixth in the Group 1 British Champions Sprint at Ascot in September, having also narrowly got the verdict over that rival to land Group 3 honours at Deauville in August. He remains fairly reliable just below Group 1 level and is almost guaranteed to give a high level of running here.
3.00 Doncaster – William Hill Doncaster Mile Stakes (Listed)
How reliable his recent improvement has been is up for debate, but it won’t be if POINT LYNAS can score again in Listed company here. The six-year-old won twice last season, with his only defeat coming on soft ground, which should be kept at bay ahead of Saturday.
Ed Bethell’s charge scored on his reappearance last term at York, before a close fourth in Group 3 company. However, it was his final run of last season, when blazing away with Listed honours at Pontefract from the front, which suggested he may be an improver with age.
He was second on return over in Doha in February, again making his way easily into the lead. Having had a run may well help him, so while Doncaster is not often an easy track to make all on, there are doubts about the form of his key market rivals on quicker surfaces, and how well they’ll go fresh.
3.15 Kempton – Virgin Bet Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes (Listed)
There is no doubt Soprano is the most reliable option in this race as a Royal Ascot winner who has achieved a high level of form. She took a while to come to her own last season though and she also wasn’t as talented a juvenile as SHUWARI, on whom a chance is taken.
The daughter of New Bay missed the entire 2024 flat season, but as a two-year-old, she was a Listed winner at Sandown, beating Soprano and future Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Fallen Angel. She subsequently filled the runner-up spot twice at Newmarket, firstly in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes and secondly in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile when only caught near the finish.
The 533-day break since then raises an obvious question, but she won on debut, which is the only pointer towards potential fitness when this fresh. Her most successful half-sibling, True Scarlet, improved her form at four too, so there is enough hope, coupled with that outstanding juvenile form, that her class will shine through.
3.35 Doncaster – William Hill Lincoln
Still lightly-raced and in good hands to progress further, GODWINSON could be the one for William Haggas in the Lincoln. The five-year-old has only raced nine times in his career, but including his debut, he has form of 321 in races after breaks of 50 days or more.
The third came on his first career start, while the second was on his first race at four, when second of 21 at Newbury last season. He stayed on very powerfully from the back that day, and he could well be suited by racing similarly off what should prove a strong gallop in this 22-strong field.
His mark of 94 is still one he could win off, 3lb above his last victorious rating. He was third in his group during a massive track bias in the Cambridgeshire after that win, so there is enough that stacks up for a big run.
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