17:25 Doncaster

Sunday 24 March 2024

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

William Hill Lengthen Your Odds Handicap (Div 2)

Off time: 17:26 | Winning time: 1m 1.97s

(4)

Violets Star²²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: Callum Shepherd| T: A West| OR: 74

7/1

Almost belied odds of 150/1 when runner-up at Thirsk on debut last summer and, having then found listed company too hot on her next outing, got off the mark at the third attempt in a Ffos Las maiden. Opening mark looks workable and she's respected.

Form: 201-

(1)

Huddle Up²³²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Connor Beasley| T: T D Barron| OR: 71| D

11/4

Placed 5 of 7 starts in 2023, the pick of the bunch coming when third at Chester (length behind Count d'Orsay) in July. Ended season with a rare below-par effort but ran well fresh last term and he's shortlisted on return.

Form: 533337-

(6)

Fortunate Star¹⁶⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Harrison Shaw| T: D Carroll| OR: 67| D

10/1

Won at Nottingham last May but overall record remains patchy and he ended season in somewhat of a lull. Others are more persuasive on comeback run.

Form: 143789-

(3)

Papa Don't Preach¹⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Rossa Ryan| T: K Frost| OR: 67| D

11/1

Capitalised on a drop in the weights to score at Newcastle early last season but ended the year in poor form. Now 15 lb below his last winning mark but hard to have much faith in on return.

Form: 707667-

(5)

Maharajas Express^b1²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Dylan Hogan| T: Jack Jones| OR: 67| D

11/1

Went one better than on yard debut to score at Wolverhampton in December. Largely held form well since, caught wider than ideal when seventh of 11 in handicap at Newcastle (5f) 23 days ago. Yet to offer much on turf but he arrives fit and in decent heart, so not ruled out with blinkers applied.

Form: 215-257

(10)

Glory Fighter^p⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-4| J: D Nolan| T: P T Midgley| OR: 67| D

14/1

Ended a long losing run at Catterick last summer and ran creditably from this mark at Wolverhampton (5.1f) 47 days ago. Can make presence felt on return to turf.

Form: 460-453

(9)

Showalong¹⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 66| BF| D

11/2

Has plenty of form in the mud, scoring from a 1 lb higher mark in Nottingham last May. Ran well on return last season and looks capable of giving a bold bid with conditions to suit.

Form: 165607-

(8)

Danzart^h¹⁹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: George Rooke| T: Mrs Stella Barclay| OR: 66

28/1

Won big-field events at Thirsk and Redcar last May before completing the hat-trick at Wolverhampton the following month. Not quite in same form later in season, and though he has plenty of form on testing ground, the drop back rates as a slight unknown.

Form: 112487-

(2)

Burj Malinka¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Mia Nicholls⁽⁵⁾| T: Adrian Nicholls| OR: 63| D

9/2

Gained third course success at Hamilton in September and stepped forward from his comeback run when hird of 8 in handicap at Newcastle (6f) 16 days ago. Respected.

Form: 7175-73

(7)

Zargun¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 8-11| J: K T O'Neill| T: S Dixon| OR: 60| D

12/1

Came close to adding to his sole career success at Southwell in January but ran poorly there on his last 2 outings and others are far easier to make a case for.

Form: 99-5269

Forecasts

Huddle Up (11/4), Burj Malinka (9/2), Showalong (11/2), Violets Star (7/1), Fortunate Star (10/1), Maharajas Express (11/1), Papa Don't Preach (11/1), Zargun (12/1), Glory Fighter (14/1), Danzart (28/1)

SHOWALONG lurks on a handy mark and, given his proven suitability for testing conditions, gets the nod to make a winning return. Huddle Up largely held his form well in defeat last season and is respected, with Glory Fighter also considered on the back of a decent effort on all-weather last time.