ANOTHER BATT is taken to spring a shock in the SBK Lincoln Handicap (3.35) as curtain goes up on the 2022 Flat season at Doncaster on Saturday.
Three Newmarket-trained four-year-olds - Mutjaba, Modern News and Saleymm - head the betting for the one-mile test. The trio are lightly raced and going places - but that’s reflected in their skinny odds for the 22-runner cavalry charge.
By contrast, Another Batt - the first runner of sharp-as-a-razor North Yorkshire trainer David Barron’s partnership with daughter and former assistant Nicola - is seven years old and, with 36 starts on turf to his name, has plenty of miles on the clock.
Connor Beasley’s mount, last seen in winning form over seven furlongs on Town Moor last October, has an excellent record after a break and is well handicapped from a British Horseracing Authority mark of 94. He’s also available at 33-1 and can reward each-way support - at the very least - for the first big race of the new campaign.
Rest of Doncaster on ITV
EMPIRESTATEOFMIND is fancied to make a winning return to action in the SBK Spring Mile Handicap (2.25). The John Quinn-saddled son of Starspangledbanner made great strides in blinkers in the second half of last season.
Fitted with the headgear for the first time at Wolverhampton at the end of July, the four-year-old took his form to a new level, netting three wins, three seconds and a third from seven starts. After landing his third triumph at Pontefract at the beginning of October, Empirestateofmind went off the 5-2 favourite for his final outing of 2021 in a one-mile handicap at Redcar three weeks later.
Jason Hart’s mount had to make do with the silver medal, going under by two and a quarter lengths to Mujtaba.
The winner is a short-priced favourite for this afternoon’s Lincoln Handicap, however, and it’s likely that Empirestateofmind came up against an improving and well-treated rival on Teesside.
The Listed SBK Cammidge Trophy (1.50) represents a good opportunity for DILIGENT HARRY to make a successful comeback. After bagging a big pot on Lingfield Park’s All-Weather Championships card last April, the son of Due Diligence stepped up to Group 3 level for the Chipchase Stakes on the Northumberland Plate undercard at Newcastle in June.
The Clive Cox trainee finished a respectable third to Chil Chil before coming within a neck of victory in the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury the following month. A first encounter with soft ground resulted in a down-the-field run in Ascot’s Group 3 Bengough Stakes 11 weeks later but, back on better terrain, Diligent Harry is expected to show his true colours.
Richard Hannon has bright prospects of an ITV double, completed by CHINDIT in the Listed SBK Doncaster Mile Stakes (3.00).
After a neck margin in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury last April, Wootton Bassett's son mixed it with the very best milers during the summer, finishing fifth to Poetic Flare in the 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes and fifth to Palace Pier in the Prix Jacques le Marois. This assignment is the easiest Rossa Ryan’s partner has faced for some time, and it will be a shock if he fails to take advantage.
Hannon’s horses begin the turf campaign in rare form and PERSIAN FORCE looks a likely type in the opening SBK Brocklesby Conditions Stakes (1.15).
Kelso
THEATRE GLORY is taken to give her opponents weight and a beating in the Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (3.15). Four starts under Rules have yielded three wins for Fame And Glory's daughter who has the scope to improve past a British Horseracing Authority rating of 129 if a last-time-out romp at Warwick in January is any guide.
The Schloss Roxurghe Go North Cab On Target Handicap Hurdle (1.35) has an open look to it, but DEMI SANG should not be underestimated. Although below par at Sedgefield last time out, Sara Ender’s nine-year-old had previously captured a qualifier for today in style in Co Durham, and has claims on that form.
Kempton
MOLIWOOD is capable of building on a last-time-out course-and-distance success to lift the Unibet Queen’s Prize Handicap (2.40).
Going up to middle distances has been the making of the Marco Botti-trained son of Fastnet Rock, who has won four of his last seven starts. The most recent came over Kempton’s two miles - his first attempt at the trip - as Moliwood beat Oceanline by a head.
My selection deserves extra credit for coming from the back in a race run a funeral-cortège gallop and another good account is on the cards after a 2lb rise in the weights. The return to Polytrack should be a benefit to FATHER OF JAZZ in the Listed Unibet Magnolia Stakes (2.05).
After victories at Wolverhampton, Chelmsford City and Lingfield Park, Kingman’s son ran third to Forest Of Dean in last year’s Group 3 Winter Derby at the Surrey track. The wheels have come off on turf - Father Of Jazz was gelded last spring and wears a hood today - but the Roger Varian trainee shouldn't be written off back on his favoured surface.
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