Hi all,
Just one week on from the end of the Cheltenham Festival and behold it’s the start of the new flat season in both Britain & Ireland. Spring looks to have sprung too. Temperatures could get to as high as 20C in the England over the next couple of days and the dry settled weather looks set to continue into the weekend.
SBK Lincoln Handicap (3.35) is the first big handicap of the new season. The ante post betting is headed by the William Haggas trained 4-year-old Mujtaba.
Across the Irish Sea the Curragh hosts the Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire (4.16). That race and the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express Stakes (3.41) are the highlights of an eight-race card.
The most valuable meeting of the weekend is being held in Dubai where it’s World Cup Night. There are five Grade 1’s on an eight-race card with the highlight being the Dubai World Cup (4:30) with over £5 million on offer to the winner.
ITV will be covering a mix of flat, all-weather and jumps action from Doncaster, Kempton, and Kelso on Saturday afternoon.
I have selections from Doncaster, Kempton, the Curragh and Meydan today and my betting advice can be found at the end of today’s preview.
Doncaster
2:25 – BK Spring Mile Handicap (Class 2) – 1m
Empirestateofmind improved for the fitting of the blinkers last summer with form figures of 3211212 for the fitting of the headgear, ending last season finishing a 2 ¼ length 2nd of 8 to Lincoln favourite Mujtaba.
Mostawaa was in good form early last season, including when finishing a ¾ length 3rd of 20 in this race 12 months ago. Form since has been disappointing but he’s now 5lb below the mark he was in this last year and must be respected if bouncing back to form here.
3:35 – Lincoln (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) – 1m
The first big handicap of the new flat season.
Mujtaba comes into the race a perfect three from three. He could be a Group horse this year and will probably need to be what looks like could be competitive renewal of this annual curtain raiser to the new turf season. His trainer William Haggas is 2 winners from 5 runners +5 3 placed with his runners in the race since 2008 and will be bidding for his fourth win in the race since 2007.
Trainer Charlie Appleby is 2-3 with his runners the race although he did have the well beaten 5/2 favourite last year. He has one entry this year in Modern News who will be ridden by a useful 7lb apprentice in Harry Davies. Modern News improved to win all three of his starts last year. He’s another who could improve again as 4-year-old and has the benefit of a recent run when 3rd of 16 at Meydan last month.
It’s always worth keeping a close eye on David O’Meara’s runners in the race. He’s got two entries in Hortzadar and Darkness appeal. The former finished a 2-length 3rd of 18 in last year’s race and races off a 7lb lower now. Darkness a useful juvenile when trained by Jean-Claude Rouget in France. He will be having his first start for yard after a €70,000 move. O’Meara’s won this in 2017 with a runner making his stable debut and Mondialiste was only beaten a neck in the 2015 renewal and like Darkness was also an ex-French recruit.
Fame And Acclaim might prefer some juice in the ground but I think the 5-year-old can win a mile handicap this season. He’s been aimed at this race and has place claims from a high draw.
Kempton
2:40 – Unibet Queen’s Prize Handicap – (Class 2) – 2m
Bandinelli has improved to win both his starts since stepping up beyond 1m 4f, including over C&D back in November. Up 5lb for that success but looked progressive when last seen in action and won’t be far away.
Moliwood is another last time out C&D winner. Then 4-year-old finished ¾ length behind Bandinelli at Haydock last September and is 4lb better off here with that one today. He’s just 2lb higher than when winning here in January and is entitled to go close.
Curragh
It’s also the start of the Irish flat season at the Curragh and 27 are set to meet the starter for another competitive Irish Lincolnshire.
4:16 – Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire (Premier Handicap) – 1m
The ante post favourite is the Johnny Murtagh trained Raadobarg. The 4-year-old was in good form early last season, winning three times between April & May, when trained by Roger Varian. Seems well suited to some juice in the ground so hopefully there will be enough in it for him to enable to go close on his first start for a new yard.
Ahandfulofsummers was highly tried as a juvenile and as 3-year-old, finally got off the mark at the nineth attempt when winning a heavy ground Tipperary maiden in October. On a competitive mark for her handicap debut for a yard who saddled the 2015 winner of the race.
Noel Meade trained last years winner and he’s got another live contender in Luke Short. The 5-year ended last season’s flat campaign with a strong finishing ½-lengt 5th of 23 in a valuable handicap here over 1m 2f last September. Now 2lb higher and racing from 2lb out of the weights but can run well on ground that should suit.
Trainer Adrian McGuiness saddled seven of the 27 runners. They all have some sort of claims but the best of them could be Star Harbour and Star of Cashel. The former finished1 length behind Luck Short here in September and is 4lb better off here. The drier the ground the better the 4-year’s old chance and mark of 92 looks workable this season. Star Of Cashel was a 1 ¼ length 4th of 24 in last year’s race. He’s 5lb lower this time around and nicely treated but unlike his stablemate may want more juice in the ground than likely to encounter here.
Meydan
I have selections in a couple of the turf races on World Cup Night.
1:35 – Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored By Azizi Developments (Group 1) – 6f
Suesa so impressive when winning the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood last summer didn’t get the best of luck with the draw when only 4th of 14 in the Nunthorpe at York and when 5th of 11 in the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp. A flat 6f on good ground should suit the 4-year-old who remains capable of better and did win first time up last season.
3:55 – Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (Group 1) – 1m 4f
Fifteen are set to meet the starter for a race where nine of the field are separated by just 3lb on Timeform ratings. The bookies are going 4/1 the field which shows how competitive a race it is.
Japanese raider’s Shahryar and Glory Vase are respected in particular the latter who beat Pyledriver by a length in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase in December. The 7-year-old goes well fresh and won’t be far away from stall 6.
Hukum improved further as 4-year-old, winning four of seven last starts last season, and made a winning start to 2022 when successful in a Group 2 over C&D three weeks ago. Yet to prove himself at Group 1 level but this track should suit and he will have improved for his reappearance.
The William Haggas pair of Dubai Honour and Alenquer. The latter won the Winter Derby (1m 2f) at Lingfield last month and should be suited by the return to 1m 4f here and shouldn’t be underestimated. Dubai Honour put in a career best effort when a ¾-length runner-up to Sealiway in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot. He didn’t get the best of runs 1f out when a 1 ¼ length 4th of 12 in Hong Kong Cuplast tim. Stamina for 1m 4f not guaranteed but he shaped last time like he could be suited by the trip.
Betting Advice:
Doncaster
2:25 – 1pt win – Mostawaa – 5/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
3:35 – 1pt win – Mujtaba – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and 0.5pts each way – 40/1 @ William Hill (Paying 6 places 1/5 odds)
Kempton
2:40 – 1pt win – Moliwood – 6/1 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power
Curragh
4:16 – 1pt win – Raadobarg – 11/2 – Gen and 1pt win – Star Of Cashel – 12/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Meydan
1:35 – 1pt win – Suesa – 11/2 @ Bet365
3:55 – 1pt win – Glory Vase – 7/1 @ Bet365 and 1pt win – Hukum – 12/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John