18:45 Doncaster

Saturday 29 April 2023

All17:1017:4018:1518:4519:1519:4520:15

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Off time: 18:46 | Winning time: 1m 14.30s

(2)

Magical Spirit^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: T Eaves| T: K A Ryan| OR: 94| CD

11/2

C&D winner. 14/1, creditable fourth of 12 in handicap at Redcar (6f, heavy) 19 days ago. However, remains 2 lb above last winning mark and he looks vulnerable.

Form: 0704-04

(3)

Sterling Knight^p¹⁹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Rhys Clutterbuck| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 93| D

7/2

Five wins from 19 Flat runs. Career best when winning 12-runner handicap (4/1) at Haydock (6f, heavy) when last seen, driven out. 4 lb rise fair and should go close if fully tuned-up.

Form: 335011-

(8)

Tinto²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: Phil Dennis| T: M Dods| OR: 91| D

6/1

Below form eleventh of 19 in handicap at this C&D (heavy, 16/1) 27 days ago, slowly away. Big chance off this reduced mark if he puts his best foot forward.

Form: 35804-0

(4)

Ghathanfar¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: D Swift| T: Miss Tracy Waggott| OR: 88| D

10/1

Three wins from 19 runs last year. 14/1, eighth of 12 in handicap at Redcar (6f, heavy) 19 days ago. Likely to again find a few too good.

Form: 37438-8

(6)

Bernardo O'Reilly⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 9-1| J: Hayley Turner| T: R Spencer| OR: 86| CD

5/2

C&D winner. Won 15-runner handicap at Newbury (6f, heavy, 16/1) 8 days ago, helped by being held up in strongly-run race. Prospect of better ground here no problem and he's a key player up 3 lb.

Form: 4358-51

(5)

Rathbone¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-0| J: P Hanagan| T: M Herrington| OR: 85| CD

20/1

C&D winner. 33/1, first run since leaving Kevin Ryan when below form seventh of 12 in handicap at Redcar (6f, heavy) 19 days ago. Given a chance by the handicapper but needs to bounce back.

Form: 05905-7

(7)

Seven Brothers¹⁸⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: B A Curtis| T: S Dixon| OR: 82| CD

9/1

C&D winner. Seventh of 9 in handicap at Catterick (6f, heavy, 12/1), slowly away. Looks vulnerable back from a 6-month absence.

Form: 064307-

(9)

Roach Power²³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Joanna Mason| T: T D Easterby| OR: 78

7/1

7/1, ninth of 14 in handicap at this C&D (good). Off 7 months (gelded in the interim) and others make more appeal on balance.

Form: 230129-

Non-Runners

(1)

Celsius²²⁴

Weight: 9-3| Age: 7

T: Tom Clover J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Bernardo O'Reilly (5/2), Sterling Knight (7/2), Celsius (7/2), Magical Spirit (11/2), Tinto (6/1), Roach Power (7/1), Seven Brothers (9/1), Ghathanfar (10/1), Rathbone (20/1)

STERLING KNIGHT ended last season on the up, bagging back-to-back Haydock handicaps over this trip, and he is taken to pick up where he left off by completing the hat-trick. A 3 lb rise for Bernardo O'Reilly's reappearance success at Newbury doesn't look excessive and he's a player. However, Tinto wasn't beaten far off a higher mark than this in a major sprint handicap last season and he is second choice.