Dubka (left) is fancied to go well
Dubka (left) is fancied to go well

Thursday's horse racing preview: Free betting tips, odds and selections


Dubka failed to fire in the Ebor but Anita Chambers expects her to cope with a step back up in class at Doncaster. She has a tip for every race.

Dubka failed to fire in the Ebor but a step back up in class would not be beyond her in the DFS Park Hill Stakes, the highlight of day two of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster.

Sir Michael Stoute's charge looked potentially well treated in last month's handicap feature at York, but the decision to sit on the heels of the early leaders resulted in Dubka just lacking a change of pace when it was really needed in the finish.

It clearly did not help that her passage was also impeded at one point, but it would be fair to say that was a disappointing result.

However, the good ground that day may not have been totally ideal and large fields are not every horse's cup of tea, so she may be better judged on her previous Pattern race efforts.

Beaten just a neck in the Lillie Langtry at Goodwood, Dubka was also a length and a half behind Bateel at Haydock earlier in the year - form which has taken on an extra dimension following that one's Prix Vermeille success.

Dubka will obviously have to be at the height of her powers here is she is to trouble the judge, but the soft ground and presence of Ryan Moore in the saddle certainly bolster confidence.

Laurens found only the well-touted Polydream too good in France last time and a repeat of that form would give her a good shout in the William Hill May Hill Stakes.

A winner at Doncaster on her debut back in July, Karl Burke took the plunge and stepped up to Group Three level at Deauville last month, with the decision so nearly reaping a rich reward.

She was just outpaced by the winner in the last furlong that day, but she kept on well enough and a mile should certainly be well within her compass.

Tangled can lift another big prize pot in the Weatherbys Racing Bank £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes.

Richard Hannon's colt is on a roll right now having bagged a Newmarket nursery before following up in a similar event to this at York last month.

He had the reopposing Great Prospector a neck back in second that day and the two meet on identical terms here, but Tangled is taken to land the spoils again.

Al Neksh was another to line up at the Ebor meeting, proving no match for Fidaawy over a mile and a half.

That distance appeared too much of a stretch for his stamina, so a drop back to 10 furlongs here combined with another little dip in the ratings makes him one to follow in the crownhotel-bawtry.com Handicap.

C'est No Mour already has one Derby at Epsom under his belt and he can add another in the Jump Jockeys' Derby Handicap back at that track.

The four-year-old was victorious in last month's Amateur Derby and Leighton Aspell looks assured of a good spin here as he certainly was not stopping at the line.

Sporting Life suggestions

CHEPSTOW: 1.10 Grey Spirit, 1.40 Ashwass, 2.15 Hope And Glory, 2.50 Dark Blue, 3.25 Wahaab, 3.55 The Daley Express, 4.30 Meyandi.

DONCASTER: 1.20 Siege Of Boston, 1.50 Ellthea, 2.25 Laurens, 3.00 DUBKA (NAP), 3.35 Tangled, 4.05 Al Neksh, 4.35 Camerone.

EPSOM: 1.30 Lifeboat, 2.00 Black Caesar, 2.35 Heart Of Gold, 3.10 C'est No Mour, 3.45 Swaffham Bulbeck, 4.15 Pacific Salt, 4.45 Bella Alissa.

HEXHAM: 4.10 Sophie Olivia, 4.40 Lilywhite Gesture, 5.10 Bafana Blue, 5.40 Tickenwolf, 6.10 Magnum, 6.40 My Idea, 7.10 Galveston.

LISTOWEL: 2.05 Kupa River, 2.40 The Last Indian, 3.15 Brazos, 3.50 Mr Everest, 4.20 Coquin Mans, 4.50 Ballela Boy, 5.20 Top Othe Ra, 5.50 Ben Button.

DOUBLE: Dubka and Laurens.

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