14:25 Doncaster

Saturday 30 March 2019

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

Unibet Spring Mile Handicap (Str)

Off time: 14:28 | Winning time: 1m 37.5s

(5)

Calling Out^p³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-10| J: Dylan Hogan⁽⁵⁾| T: D M Simcock| OR: 96| D

100/1

Won a small field AW handicap off this mark in December but on the whole struggled since with a sixth of seven latest at Chelmsford further evidence of that. Could be better now back on turf but others of greater appeal.

Form: 591-456

(8)

Dawaaleeb^v¹⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: D Allan| T: J L Eyre| OR: 94| D

12/1

Won three times in 2018 and ended campaign with good second in a decent Redcar handicap. Upped 2lb for that but seems a thoroughly progressive sort so could well improve again this term and go well here.

Form: 151042-

(6)

Brian The Snail¹⁶⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: Sean Davis⁽⁵⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 94| C

14/1

Goes into the unknown here with this a first ever crack at 1m but stayed 7f well enough to think he has every chance of getting the trip. Quiet end to 2018 means he's now 1lb below last winning mark.

Form: 000984-

(7)

Gulf Of Poets¹⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: Nathan Evans| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 92| D

10/1

Won first two starts last season but looked handicapped to the hilt afterwards. Efforts improved slightly as handicap did. Gets further 2lb back here to be just 1lb above latest win and won first time out last two seasons.

Form: 399645-

(15)

Fayez^p²¹^{(ex 5)}

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: D Nolan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 87| D

33/1

Gained fifth career AW win at Wolverhampton latest but far less prolific on turf having won just once. Not won off a mark this high since 2017 and just doesn't look well handicapped enough here.

Form: 54-2541

(3)

Petrus^p1¹⁵⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Tom Marquand| T: B J Meehan| OR: 91

7/1

Failed to win as a three-year-old (nine starts) Placed a couple of times off 2lb higher marks than today so causes for optimism in first-time cheekpieces but hard to be overly confident.

Form: 435349-

(10)

Exec Chef¹⁶⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: James Doyle| T: J R Boyle| OR: 90| D

6/1

Showed promise for David Simcock but transformed by this yard as he won his first three last season. Ended campaign with a fair third of 14 off this revised mark. Sort to progress again at four and leading player here.

Form: 821113-

(16)

Al Jellaby⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: A Kirby| T: C G Cox| OR: 89| BF| D

15/2

Two-year-old winner started last term with promise but that petered out. Back to something like this year however with third and fifth placed efforts on AW. Wouldn't need a great deal more here and merits respect now.

Form: 2286-35

(13)

Isomer^p⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: William Carver⁽⁷⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 88| BF| D

20/1

Won twice last season but out of luck in six-race AW campaign this winter. Not beaten far two starts back but this commands a little more and last winning pilot James Doyle rides elsewhere in the race.

Form: 24-4726

(11)

Rampant Lion^p³¹^{(ex 5)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: S De Sousa| T: W Jarvis| OR: 82| D

11/2

Won just once for Mark Johnston but two wins and two places this winter for this yard on AW. 4lb rise for latest win not harsh and should be every bit as effective back on turf, jockey booking another of several positives.

Form: 20213-1

(14)

Sod's Law¹⁶²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: P J McDonald| T: H Morrison| OR: 84| BF| D

6/1

Won back-to-back handicaps last season before campaign ended with third off this mark in 15-runner Haydock contest. Likely to progress again this term and merits serious respect here.

Form: 593113-

(2)

Calvados Spirit⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 83

9/1

Dual winner for William Muir yet to win for this yard although competitive in all bar last of four starts in 2018. Handicap mark within range to start this year and shouldn't be ruled out.

Form: 87/245-0

(1)

Detachment¹⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: Hayley Turner| T: J L Eyre| OR: 83| D

25/1

Won three times last season ands back-to-back September wins saw him rise a combined 15lb. No surprise then he struggled in final start and with just 1lb back that likely to be the case here.

Form: 042116-

(4)

Sands Chorus^p1¹³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 8-9| J: Theodore Ladd⁽⁵⁾| T: S Dixon| OR: 81| D

25/1

Won four times in excellent 2017 that culminated in Cambridgeshire second at 100/1. Nowhere near that level in quiet 2018 however. 14lb below career high as he starts out for new yard; does the fire still burn as brightly?

Form: 908008-

(12)

Robsdelight¹⁵⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Josephine Gordon| T: Miss Gay Kelleway| OR: 79

33/1

7f winner last May in novice company but yet to add to that in handicaps. Still quite lightly raced and probably has room to manoeuvre off this mark but unproven at 1m.

Form: 157029-

(9)

Fake News¹¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: Hollie Doyle| T: T D Barron| OR: 78

25/1

Won two of first three races but shown next to nothing in three subsequent starts. Interesting he's back to previous handicap winning mark and gone well fresh before however.

Form: 19/1979-

Forecasts

Rampant Lion (11/2), Exec Chef (6/1), Sod's Law (6/1), Petrus (7/1), Al Jellaby (15/2), Calvados Spirit (9/1), Gulf Of Poets (10/1), Dawaaleeb (12/1), Brian The Snail (14/1), Isomer (20/1), Sands Chorus (25/1), Detachment (25/1), Fake News (25/1), Fayez (33/1), Robsdelight (33/1), Calling Out (100/1)

EXEC CHEF made rapid progress when switched to Jim Boyle last season winning his first three before ending the season with a highly respectable third. He is still relatively lightly raced and can improve further in 2019 so gets the vote in an open looking contest. Considerably more exposed is Gulf Of Poets but Mick Easterby's charge has won first time out the last two seasons and is only 1lb higher than his most recent success so he is a big danger. Rampant Lion has been in great form this winter and should be as effective on turf so rates another leading player.