Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on Saturday.
Trials day, hey?
12:05 Jack Richards’ Handicap Trial
12:40 Fred Winter(!) Trial
13:15 Plate Trial
13:50 Cross Country Trial
14:25 Gold Cup Trial
15:00 Champion Hurdle Trial
15:35 Stayers' Hurdle Trial
16:10 Turners Trial
There, that’s an easier way isn’t it? And even the most staunch Yorkshireman can surely tear his eyes away from the classy card at Doncaster for an informative day down in the Cotswolds.
Clearly, much has been written about an apparent lack of strength in depth behind the big name(s) in some of those races, but there will still be movement in those Cheltenham Festival markets come the final whistle on Saturday.
Horses For Courses
One horse who already has winning form at this meeting is Jagwar, just one of 10 JP McManus-owned horses running on a day where – at the time of writing – all but one are single figure prices, seven are 5/1 or less, and three are trading as favourites, including two of his four runners at Cheltenham.
Jagwar won the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase (12:05) 12 months ago before totally ignoring my list above and winning the Plate at the Festival a couple of months later. He’s progressed since and looks the one to beat in the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (13:15) over the same C&D.
Fellow ‘Horse In Focus’ Impose Toi is the other jolly, and he’s hard to oppose in the Pertemps Network Cleeve Hurdle (15:35) having disposed of Strong Leader on the same terms at Ascot in tantalizing style last month; how much more is there to come?
Horses In Focus (in focus)
Amongst the plethora of Horses In Focus on Saturday, the one who catches my eye is Taurus Bay, one of three in the concluding AIS Novices’ Hurdle (16:10), known more commonly as the Classic, a race that counts Monsignor (2000), Wichita Lineman (2007) and Bobs Worth (2011) amongst its illustrious list of winners.
The Smart Stats at the bottom of the Timeform racecard inform me that Ben Pauling has a £21.29 profit to a £1 level stake when having only one runner on the card (hurdles) and this winning Irish pointer has made a good impression in two starts over timber this winter.
Beating two rivals can be hard to weigh up, but Aintree runner-up Captain Hugo looked set to win anyway when left clear at Haydock next time, while Race To Base wasn’t disgraced in defeat next time out.
“He's a shell of a horse who doesn't want too much graft, but he's got a big day in him,” said Pauling after his win; hopefully Saturday could be the next stepping stone on the way to the Turners.
Comley has the minerals
The Yorkshireman in me can’t resist; the card at Doncaster is a cracker, too, isn’t it?
I could waffle on about the apparent increase in quality in this year’s River Don (12:55), or Jetara's bid to win back-to-back Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdles at 13:30, but it’s the opening Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Fillies' Juvenile Hurdle (12:20) which instantly gets you invested in the card.
This is one race that JP McManus hasn’t plundered yet, so the market will be useful for assessing Manlaga’s chance on the day. Timeform have her French form as 10 lb inferior to that of Highland Crystal, and the way the Gordon Elliott-trained filly was backed at Newbury would suggest that her winner’s penalty should be no issue on ground that we know she handles.
However, let’s shine a light on one of the lesser-known trainers heading to Town Moor: Max Comley. Now based in Naunton, where most of the village will be heading to nearby Cheltenham, Comley worked for Kim Bailey before training point-to-point horses, took out a full licence at the end of 2024, and saddled his first rules winner in March.
With 14 winners under his belt, the quality of recruit appears to be increasing, and a win in this listed contest for Manganese would easily be the yard’s biggest to date. Having won her three starts (including a French bumper), she has earned this rise in class. “Her next target will be a Listed race, and then we can start thinking about stepping into the big leagues and dreaming about Cheltenham and Aintree,” said her trainer after her Catterick success. It would be a great story were she to win here.
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