Sky Sports Racing's Alex Hammond blog and tips for Doncaster

Out of the storm finally came the calm, and it was wonderful to be at Lingfield over the weekend for the Winter Million fixture and likewise at Newbury on Tuesday for our debut on Sky Sports Racing.

Now excuse me for feeling smug, but I told you last week that I am clutching in my grubby mitts an ante-post voucher for L’Homme Presse in the Gold Cup, and he didn’t let me down. He returned with a bang in the Fleur de Lys Chase at Lingfield on Sunday and whilst he took a while to warm to his task over the early fences he then went into autopilot and won cosily after his long layoff. He was around 20s before the race for the festival and is now 9/1 with Sky Bet to win the Gold Cup. I’m happy enough with my bet at this stage.

He has an interesting back story as he was bought by his owner Andy Edwards with a leg injury, and Edwards had to sit on his hands and wait for him to come right before they could see him on track. That patience has paid dividends and he’s a real contender for Cheltenham after his Lingfield display. I compare that buying process to seeing a house you love, but it needs loads of work. After plenty of time and money you finally get the home of your dreams; that’s L’Homme Presse. I don’t think Kevin McCloud is about to come calling after that analogy, but you get the picture.

He saved the day for his trainer Venetia Williams at Lingfield after Djelo was knocked over by Matata in the Lightning Novices’ Chase, Frero Banbou made a mistake and was pulled up in his race and Ramo was chinned by Nurse Susan on the same card.

Williams has three runners at Cheltenham on Saturday, and I hope she can go away with a winner. Of that trio I’m a fan of Victtorino having seen him win twice at Ascot this season. He goes in the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Handicap Chase over two and a half miles. He’s owned by Linda Mars of Mars family fame (helps you work, rest and play…yes, that Mars family) and they’ve bought a nice horse in this lad. He wasn’t as impressive on his second Ascot win, but I feel the better ground may not have played to his strengths. He drops back in trip at Cheltenham but that isn’t a concern for me, and I think there’s much more to come as he’s only just turned six years of age. He’s Sky Bet 11/2 joint second favourite behind last year’s winner Il Ridoto, who is 7/2 fav.

As you may know, I’m a member of the Closutton Racing Club and it seems James Fenton (who sources all the mares) has found us another star. Shewearsitwell has retired to the paddocks, and she left big shoes to fill for the club. Then, along came Maughreen! As her name suggests she’s from the family of Faugheen and she bears some resemblance to him physically. She has come out of her impressive win at Punchestown in good form and the future is bright. She’s a big, unfurnished mare, so she won’t be rushed as she still has some maturing to do. What an exciting prospect she is, and how lucky we are to be involved with her. Incidentally Maughreen’s full brother Blow Your Wad is 5/1 second favourite to win the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, having won at Kempton last time out.

James Fenton also manages the Blue Blood Racing syndicate, and they are enjoying racing another smart mare in Ashroe Diamond. She travels to Doncaster for Saturday’s SBK Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle, and I think she’ll take all the beating. Her trainer Willie Mullins has form in this race having brought Annie Power over in 2014 to win and Vroum Vroum Mag over to win in 2017. He also runs Gala Marceau in the race at Doncaster and both mares figure prominently in the betting. Ashroe is 5/4 favourite with Sky Bet and will be ridden by Patrick Mullins, and Gala next best at 7/4 (Danny Mullins up) and I hope that’s the way they’ll finish. Ashroe finished third in the Hatton’s Grade Hurdle on her reappearance and the team are working backwards from the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham for which she’s 5/1 second favourite. They are happy with the way the plan is working out so far. Lossiemouth is 2/1 favourite for the Mares’ Hurdle at the festival and she runs at Cheltenham on Saturday in the Unibet Hurdle: Paul Townend rides. It’ll be a surprise if she doesn’t win this, and her price reflects that.

Staying at Cheltenham and the McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle is full of old favourites. Paisley Park, Dashel Drasher, and Champ fall into the veteran category and 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats is also staying over hurdles for this. Paisley Park has won this three times and was third last year and his runs this season show he is no back number. His second to Crambo in the grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle looks particularly good, and I hope he can win this for a fourth time. What a legend he is.

Perhaps the most competitive race of the day is the SBK Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster with eighteen declared runners. Sky Bet are paying six places here. With that in mind I’ll try to find some each way value shortly. Famous Bridge is 13/2 favourite having won his last two starts at Haydock, including the Tommy Whittle last time out. He’s now four from seven over fences and loves a staying slog. He’s also incredibly tough. With the ground described as good, he may not get the test he relishes.

I’m going to go with Forward Plan for Anthony Honeyball and Ben Godfrey, a 3lb claiming conditional jockey who has struck up a good relationship with this horse. Forward Plan won over this course and distance last month, beating perennial runner-up Mister Coffey on good to soft ground. They missed a number of the fences out that day due to the low sun, but the forecast is overcast for Saturday so hopefully that won’t be an issue. He’s up 4lbs for that win, and hopefully he’ll be able defy that. He’s a 7/1 shot.

With the six places on offer I would be interested to see if 18/1 shot Whistleinthedark can run into the first six. He’s now trained by Laura Morgan who has sent him out for four wins from six attempts chasing. He was behind Forward Plan over this course and distance last month but could be a place player with more scope over this three-mile trip.

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