At The Races expert Declan Rix is back with a close look through a top card at Doncaster on Friday, all live on Sky Sports Racing, and picks out his four horses to keep onside.
Joe Dadancer
1.05 – Sky Bet UKs No.1 Betting App Novices’ Hurdle
A breathing op and the addition of a first-time tongue tie appeared to bring JOE DADANCER back to form over this course and distance 17 days ago, having been a huge disappointment on his seasonal debut at Wetherby, when sent off a 13/8 favourite.
While the formbook will say he was well-held last time out, time may tell that he had a tough job on trying to give 7lb to the winner Hidden Beauty, especially as he shaped a bit better than the distance beaten having travelled well.
With the Ben Pauling yard having a good season and Joe Dadancer’s dam Sister Phoebe a full-sister to Captain Cee Bee, hopefully there is more to come.
Hands Off
2.05 – Sky Bet EBF “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle
You very much get the feeling HANDS OFF has better days ahead of him, especially over staying trips, but the Nicky Henderson inmate has showed steady progress in his two runs this season and can hopefully take another step forward here.
Despite taking a strong hold for a large part of the race and having an awful trip out wide throughout on seasonal debut at Ascot, the son of Getaway impressed with his engine and staying prowess to run into second. Last time out, over this course and distance, he settled better, but still remains an active sort.
Some pace to run at, to help him get into an early rhythm would help, and also bring his stamina into play in what looks a weaker race compared to the one he contested 29 days ago.
Nicky Henderson sends four runners to Doncaster on Friday, all live on Sky Sports Racing
Arclight
2.40 – Sky Bet Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle
ARCLIGHT is another Nicky Henderson lodger who has the physique to keep on improving. A lovely, leggy filly with plenty of physical scope, the daughter of Champs Elysees was value for more than the one-and-three-quarter lengths winning margin when scoring on seasonal debut over this course and distance in December.
There, she beat Greyval, who reopposes, but it’s hard to make a case for her reversing the form on what we witnessed that day. Even as far as three out, Nico de Boinville was exuding so much confidence before producing Arclight after the last, where she idled badly, looking to have plenty left in the tank.
Not a whole lot can be read into her wide-margin Kempton success 13 days ago, but it was good to see her take a change in tactics in her stride, while looking more settled early. Some pace to run at would suit De Boinville, but either way, she is tactically versatile and looks the filly to beat here.
Xcitations
3.15 – Sky Bet Extra Places Every Day Handicap Chase
The way XCITATIONS travelled and jumped before winning at Sandown 20 days ago was seriously impressive, the Pam Sly-trained eight-year-old looking like a horse at the very top of his game.
An ability to travel strongly is one of Xcitations biggest assets, and a characteristic that serves many a horse well here on Doncaster’s chase track, which is the inner course. The course layout presents a good test of horses jumping early, while mid-race there are obstacles to be jumped on the turn before the four fences up the home straight.
With the son of Universal looking in great form recently and his course-and-distance success two starts back working out, he may well be the biggest danger to the favourite Saint Segal.
