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Doncaster and ICF Racing Tips Today | Timeform expert predictions for Saturday
Find out who the Timeform experts fancy at Doncaster and the Irish Champions Festival on Saturday and which horses stand out on ratings and Flags.
Best bets from the Timeform experts
David Johnson: Kinross - 15:00 Doncaster
Kinross has been a grand servant to connections and he can repeat his 2022 success in this race. He’s possibly not quite the force of old but still has plenty to offer in Group company, as he showed when runner-up in the Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle on his reappearance. He travelled best that day and the form also looks better than it did at the time given Montassib's win at Haydock last week.
Kinross' two outings since can be excused given the ground was quicker than ideal for him to be seen to best effect over 6f in the July Cup and he was simply caught too far out of his ground behind Audience in the Lennox Stakes. He should still have the legs of younger rivals like Poet Master and Lead Artist under these conditions.
Andrew Asquith: Lead Artist – 15:00 Doncaster
Kinross is a favourite I want to take on in the Park Stakes, as he hasn’t quite been at the level of previous years this season, and the ground could again dry out too much for him looking at the forecast. In the shape of Lead Artist, he meets an up-and-coming three-year-old who was very impressive I thought when winning the Thoroughbred Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last time.
He was given a positive ride on that occasion, setting a sound gallop and deserving extra credit for the manner in which he quickened up off that pace, leaving his rivals behind over a furlong out and always doing enough in the closing stages. That was over a mile, but the natural speed he displayed that day suggests he’ll have no problem dropping to a straight seven furlongs, and there should be even more to come after just four starts.
Billy Nash: Sumiha - 16:00 Leopardstown
She has a bit to find on the ratings but I reckon Sumiha has plenty going for her in the race formerly known as the Kilternan Stakes. She beat three next-time-out winners on her debut last year and, after a couple of honourable defeats, made her first start at this level a winning one when proving too strong for Trevaunance and Scarlett O'Hara at Cork last time.
The daughter of Sea The Stars, who holds an entry in the Group 1 Fillies and Mares Stakes at Ascot next month, has to carry a penalty for that win but remains open to improvement after just four starts and this stiffer track will play to her strengths. Trustyourinstinct, who comes out top on Timeform ratings, isn't certain to stay this trip and both of Klondike's wins this year have come in small-field tactical affairs.
Graeme North: Chemistry - 16:35 Leopardstown
Plenty of well-known jumps trainers have thrown their hats into the ring in the first of the premier handicaps at Leopardstown over thirteen furlongs with even Rachael Blackmore picking up a spare ride but Aidan O’Brien is always the man to be feared in these events late in the season and the well-bred and probably very well-handicapped three-year-old Chemistry is the one who takes the eye here.
He’s won both his races this season, though got the last one, a listed race over a mile and three-quarters here, in the stewards’ room. On the face of it his opening handicap mark – 100 – might seem a tad harsh but given that was his first race for four months and he’s related to a couple of smart horses it wouldn’t be a surprise if he left his form a long way behind with Ryan Moore back on board for the first time since his reappearance.
James Cooper: Ouzo - 17:25 Doncaster (each-way)
With no further rain forecast at Doncaster, conditions aren’t likely to be as gruelling as can be the case at this time of year. Regardless of that, though, I still like to side with a horse with form over longer trips given the straight course on Town Moor normally takes plenty of getting, with races taking shape earlier than other tracks.
Treasure Time will doubtless be popular for William Haggas as a last-time-out York winner taking on his elders but at 7/2 he hasn’t been missed and, with most firms going four places for this 15-runner handicap, an each-way bet looks the way to go. Magnum Opus was second on the list having shaped nicely ridden with restraint in a race where the pace held up at Southwell last time but Ouzo is awarded the vote. He hasn’t stood much racing in recent seasons but being fresh this time of year is no bad thing and Ouzo is also back on his last winning mark, gained at Meydan in February.
Goodwood wouldn’t be his ideal track (has raced there the last twice) and seven furlongs last time was also an insufficient test of stamina. The return to a mile will therefore suit and he has plenty of excellent form over Ascot’s straight circuit, so Ouzo looks to have a lot in his favour with Saffie Osborne riding at the top of her game.
Ratings and Flags
The Ratings Choice
Bubbling - 13:10 Leopardstown
Bubbling shaped with plenty of encouragement when fourth over this course and distance on debut and she built on that promise to run out a wide-margin winner of a Galway maiden that has an illustrious roll of honour.
Legatissimo, Hermosa and Tahiyra all won that seven-furlong fillies' maiden at the Galway Festival before going on to much better things and Bubbling also looked capable of making her mark in a higher grade as she stormed five lengths clear.
The rating she earned for that comprehensive victory places her 2 lb clear of her nearest rival at the head of Timeform's ratings for this listed contest and gives her a good edge over the bulk of the field. She's up against some unexposed fillies, but she didn't look the finished article at Galway so also strikes as a likely improver.
The Timeform Flag
Treasure Time - 17:25 Doncaster
Flags: Horse In Focus, Hot Trainer, Top-Rated
The three-year-old mile handicap at York's Ebor meeting contained plenty of progressive and well-bred types from top yards so it should prove a rich source of winners.
The winner, Treasure Time, had been unlucky in running at Goodwood on his previous start and he didn't have everything go his own way at York as he was further back than ideal in a race run at just a fair gallop on quick ground. However, Treasure Time really impressed with his strength in the finish and he powered to the front 50 yards out and was nicely on top at the line.
The way he stormed home there suggests he could do even better granted a strong gallop, and he still looks fairly treated following a 7 lb rise in the weights.
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