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13:55 Doncaster Money In My Pocket has improved on each start for Richard Hannon and has been somewhat unlucky not to have shed her maiden before now. She was only just touched off at Goodwood last time when beaten a neck by Tara Celeb and now that she is in receipt of up to more than a stone from her rivals, she looks more than capable of playing a leading role. Glitter Girl will likely be popular having won her two most recent starts at Catterick and Thirsk. This is likely to prove a lot tougher for her and giving weight away all around may not be an easy task. William Haggas clearly thinks a lot of her though and has given her an entry in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes. She will need to win this in decent fashion in order to fulfil those lofty expectations. Charlie Hills has his team in fair form and Arwa got off the mark at the second time of asking. She is still relatively unexposed and may well improve again. Richard Hannon Senior had an excellent record in this race winning it twice in recent seasons with the likes of Eucharist and Ronaldsay. With his son back amongst the winners of late, Money In My Pocket has to be considered a danger to all and ranks high on any shortlist. Money In My Pocket (E/W if 9/2+)
14:30 Doncaster Kilmah bounced right back to her very best at Goodwood last month when making all of the running to beat Promising by a neck. That was her first try at seven furlongs and having improved for the step up in trip, it would be of little surprise to see her improve again for this extra furlong this afternoon. Franny Norton retains the ride and this prominent filly is likely to make her presence felt from the very outset. Blending has done nothing but improve for John Gosden and shed her maiden tag last time when seeing off two subsequent winners at Newmarket last time. There is every likelihood that there is more to come from this well bred daughter of Medecian who himself excelled at this trip in particular. The ground will not bother her and Frankie Dettori looks as though he in for an enjoyable ride. Godolphin’s runners seem to have lost the plot of late and are maybe feeling the effects of a reported virus in Newmarket. Rich Legacy has work to do to reverse recent form with the selection meanwhile a likely improver is Andrew Balding’s Hidden Steps. She was very green and still won on her racecourse debut and she cannot be completely written off. Kilmah can make the most of her experience and profit from that morale boosting win at Goodwood by going in again here. Mark Johnston has his yard in decent shape and she looks likely to play a pivotal role in the finish today. Kilmah (WIN)
15:05 Doncaster Pretty Perfect is a pretty smart filly on her day and set about making all earlier in the season when winning at Cork. She was a little out of her depth when contesting the Yorkshire Oaks last time out but still ran with credit to finish fourth to stablemate Seventh Heaven. Seamie Heffernan replaces Paul Hanagan in the saddle this afternoon and this three year old will relish the drop in class. Aiden O’Brien is likely to have left plenty to work on and this Galileo filly ought to go close. Abingdon represents Sir Michael Stoute who has won this race twice in the recent past with the likes of Allegretto and Hi Calypso. The yard have certainly turned a corner in recent weeks and the three year old rates as a very probable danger. Simple Verse returns following a short hiatus. She was a classy sort last year but seems to have been found lacking somewhat this season. She will act on this ground and is proven at the trip. If she is right back to near her best, she too had the ability to cut through these like a knife through hot butter. Pretty Perfect is the sole Ballydoyle representative today and she will relish any further softening of the ground. If allowed to dominate proceedings she may well prove hard to peg back off her featherweight. Pretty Perfect (E/W if 9/2+)
15:40 Doncaster Mutawakked made it third time lucky when scoring at Newbury back in July and Brian Meehan has purposefully kept him off the track since. The form of it looks relatively strong with the likes of Deningy, Sfumato and Hidden Stash all franking the form since. Dane O’Neill rides for Sheikh Hamdan and if the ground stays dry, their chances will not suffer. This extra half furlong is unlikely to prove too much of a hindrance and the combination look likely to outrun their likely double figure odds. Stormy Clouds looks a massive danger given the relative ease of his latest win in a similar event. Richard Hannon does well with this sort and with her receiving weight from all bar one rival, she looks destined to be involved and can confirm form with Rusumaat. Richard Fahey has won this race three times since 2010 and comes here mob handed yet again. In a race which has produced a 100/1 winner quite recently, it would be foolish to dismiss any of his runners. Mutawakked is still learning his trade and there ought to be plenty more improvement to some. He wasn’t a cheap purchase at 120,000 Guineas as a yearling and by making the frame here he can certainly repay some of that hefty outlay. Brian Meehan has saddled six winners in the last couple of weeks and with limited resources that is an excellent achievement. It would be of little surprise to see this three year old in the shake up at the end. Stormy Clouds (WIN) Mutawakked (E/W if 9/2+)
16:15 Doncaster A short priced favourite in the form of Poet’s Word leads the charge after very taking effort at Goodwood. The maestro Ryan Moore is booked for the ride and Sir Michael Stoute’s yard are doing well at the moment. However 13/8 about a horse that doesn’t have great form on soft going doesn’t bode all that well and an each way alternative has to be the option in this race. A horse that prefers cut in the ground is Bermondsey. Luca Cumani tends to have his horses ready for this time of year and firing for Doncaster. It’d be no surprise to see the four year old who is given a relatively decent weight come close. Bottom weight Lusory has to be respected as he’s so unexposed. Despite the limited racing experience Godolphin’s charge will have more room to progress and looks the horse with the most potential. Of the rest I feel Awake My Soul could run well at a very big price but never the less I’m going to side with Cumani’s runner and hope Bermondsey can put its head in front. Bermondsey (E/W if 9/2+)
16:50 Doncaster The penultimate race on the card sees a very classy looking maiden where The Anvil heads the betting. Obviously Ballydoyle will have their horses in fine fettle this week as we head towards Saturday’s big race. The O’Brien runner finished second behind a well fancied stable mate on its race course debut which is in no way a negative however the winner has subsequently go on to flop in a four runner race subsequently which doesn’t give The Anvil’s form much of a boost. There’s no doubt he’ll come on for that run but just how good that second placed finish is, is up for debate. John Gosden puts the blinkers on Glencadam Glory today after a second placed finish at Newmarket on his first start. The horse ran a nice enough race that day but just as with the favourite the winner that day has done nothing to frank the horses form when finishing last in a five runner race. The runner I am then turning to is Hydroxide who finished very close to a potentially very good Godolphin runner at Newmarket last time. There’s question marks around todays softer conditions however coming out of Loupe De Vega, Hydroxide should be able to handle a bit of cut and of the trio of fancied runners is the one I’m going to side with. Okool looks the one that could be something worth noting, especially if market support arrive for Paul Hanagan’s ride. An entry in to next years Epsom Derby indicates the horse is well regarded at home and could sneak a place if one of the main protagonists falters. Hydroxide (WIN)
18:00 Doncaster A veritable cavalry charge awaits us as the final race of the day. After covering the last race yesterday and opting to only tip the one horse instead of the two I originally fancied in which Singeur was the alternative I decided to neglect I am not going to make the same mistake twice. With so many runners I’m going to be bold and tip three in the race. I may be left with egg on my face if all three don’t produce anything but I just can’t bring myself to cut one of them from my list. The first horse I like the look of is Les Eyre’s course and distance winner Intense Style. The four year old won here on soft going back in June and returns to the scene of that victory off just a two pound higher mark. The horse has been ultra consistent and relishes softer going. If the expected rain hits and the ground is cut up with the racing throughout the day the former Jim Bloger runner should look to go very close today. Another horse that’s running just two pounds higher than its last winning mark is Shipyard. After a promising run at Ripon last time out it seems that Michael Appleby’s runner may have been laid out for this race and with Tim Queally on board it should go well at a decent price. The final horse in the trio of selections makes just his second start under new trainer David Griffiths. Lucky Beggar in his day won class two handicaps off a mark as high as 102. The six year old is now racing off a staggering 19lbs lower mark today and if the new trainer, who is well renowned for his prowess with sprinters, can bring the horse close to anywhere near its best then there’s no question that it will push its head near the front come the finishing line. Intense Style (E/W) Shipyard (E/W) Lucky Beggar (E/W)
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