3 minute read
William Haggas appears to have a stranglehold on the SBK Lincoln at Doncaster – and there may be some mileage in siding with his apparent second-string Ametist.
The Newmarket-based Yorkshireman loves nothing more than plundering the first big handicap of the season and is going in search of a record fifth win in the cavalry charge on Town Moor.
His ante-post favourite Mujtaba arrives with the most glamorous profile. Unbeaten in three career starts, he is by Dubawi and out of a champion mare in South Africa.
But while it has been hard not to be impressed in what he has done, equally it is fair to say two odds-on strolls and a victory in a class three event at Redcar could not be further removed from the white-hot competition of the Lincoln.
Ametist, on the other hand, is much more battle-hardened. The five-year-old rose through the ranks last season at a rate of knots, winning at Wetherby and Newmarket twice but never by far, so the handicapper struggled to get to grips.
Just when it looked as if his progression had stalled – he was only 10th when favourite for the Bunbury Cup and 15th at York – he bounced back to be third in the Cambridgeshire.
That proves he stays further, never a bad thing in a Lincoln, and big fields are no negative.
Chindit looks a class apart in the SBK Doncaster Mile for Richard Hannon.
While he never managed to win again last season having taken the Greenham Stakes on his return to action, he was mixing it with the very best.
Not disgraced behind Poetic Flare in the Guineas and at Ascot, he then took on Palace Pier in France and was only beaten three lengths.
He had been on the go a while by the time he finished third on his final outing in the Joel Stakes in October and could be the type to take high order this season.
Clive Cox has few peers when it comes to sprinters and has always thought the world of Diligent Harry.
He reappears in the SBK Cammidge Trophy and it looks the perfect starting point before going back up in class.
Having started life on the all-weather, he won the three-year-old division of the All-Weather Championship Finals before going on turf where he ran well without getting his head in front.
His final outing in the Bengough Stakes can be forgotten as the ground went very soft but his effort in the Hackwood, when beaten a neck by Happy Romance with Tabdeed in behind, is more than good enough to win this.
Marco Botti's Felix can maintain his unbeaten record at Kempton in the Racing TV Magnolia Stakes.
While he has only raced there once, he was an impressive winner and the longer straight than at Lingfield, where he has done most of his all-weather racing, is a big plus.
He showed he was every bit as good as ever when not beaten far at all in fifth in the Group One Jebel Hatta at Meydan earlier in the month.
Nick Alexander's Wakool looks the best bet at Kelso in the Racing TV Handicap Hurdle.
His winning run was brought to a halt behind The Big Galloper last time out but the suggestion is the winner was well handicapped that day.
SELECTIONS:
CURRAGH: 1.25 Finsceal Go Deo, 1.56 Laugh A Minute, 2.31 Toy, 3.06 Ivy League, 3.41 Mother Earth, 4.16 Casanova, 4.51 Petticoat Rule, 5.21 Silk Damask.
DONCASTER: 1.15 Persian Force, 1.50 Diligent Harry, 2.25 Star Shield, 3.00 CHINDIT (NAP), 3.35 Ametist, 4.10 Groundbreaker, 4.46 Red Bond, 5.16 Pips Tune.
KELSO: 1.00 Sanosuke, 1.35 Headscarf Lil, 2.10 Lucky Flight, 2.45 Empire Steel, 3.15 Theatre Glory, 3.46 Wakool, 4.21 Ri Na Farraige.
KEMPTON: 1.30 Sarangani, 2.05 Felix, 2.40 Bandinelli, 3.20 Get Ahead, 3.55 Tommy De Vito, 4.30 Gold Medal, 5.00 Beluga Gold.
STRATFORD: 1.43 Rafferty, 2.18 Dariya, 2.53 Barrakhov, 3.28 Weebill, 4.03 Geometrical, 4.38 Black Kalanisi, 5.10 Lightfoot Lady.
WOLVERHAMPTON: 4.55 Storm Asset, 5.30 After The Rain, 6.00 Boudica Warrior, 6.30 Calin's Lad, 7.00 Red Alert, 7.30 Rebel Redemption, 8.00 Mr Beaufort, 8.30 Myriad.
DOUBLE: Chindit and Ametist.