If Mark Johnston had a runner he would be looking for three in a row here but he doesn’t, and neither does David Barron who has also won it twice, but at least we can say that favourites have a good record here with four winners plus a joint favourite in the last ten years. Who will win it in 2017 – read on for our horse by horse guide and race selection ahead of the 7.40pm at Doncaster tonight.
IN SUMMARY: MISS SHERIDAN stands out at these weights and may well prove close to impossible to catch if sent to the front early by jockey Cam Hardie, and will be far happier here than she was over the mile last time out. Bint Arcano could be the one to follow her home but it looks all about the selection this evening.
1 COURIER – Likes to make the running if possible but is not the only one in this field and may sulk if he cannot get to the front from the start. Her last win was at Haydock over this trip on soft ground in June, but she was put up five pounds for that and has struggled in both races since with a five and a quarter length sixth at Pontefract over six furlongs her latest effort. Trainer Marjorie Fife is ticking over nicely for a small yard with 11% winners but she has only been dropped a pound and she may well struggle to shoulder top weight here.
2 BINT ARCANO – Arrives here in great form following a win at Catterick and a third to Excellent Sounds in a Class Two at Haydock when just a length and a half behind winner Excellent Sounds. That was a superb effort by Julie Camacho’s four-year-old filly and dropped in class tonight and off the same rating he has to arrive here with every chance of adding to previous successes. The stable are going through a quiet spell with just the two (losing) runners in the last two weeks but she has a solid chance of breaking that statistic.
3 BAHAMADAM – Finished a well beaten fourth at Lingfield yesterday and seems unlikely to turn out again so quickly. Won on her seasonal return at Leicester by a neck over this trip for Eve Johnson Houghton but was put up a big six pounds for that and will continue to struggle until the handicapper shows some mercy.
4 SAVANNAH SLEW – One win from four starts so far this season when successful at Carlisle over six furlongs on soft ground in June and wasn’t disgraced last time out when fifth to Elusive Beauty in Listed class at the same track over this trip when keeping on well to be beaten two and three-quarter lengths. Put up seven pounds for that run she is dropping back in class but has been severely punished by the handicapper and needs a career best (by eleven pounds) to win here though she could well be improving based on her last effort.
5 LITTLE LADY KATIE – Karl Burke is one of only three trainers here hitting a double figure percentage with four winners from twenty-one starts in the past two weeks (19% and a level stakes profit of over seven points), which can only increase the chances of this Lord Shanakill mare who is looking for her fourth win on her twenty-fourth start. She hasn’t won in three starts so far this season but wasn’t beaten too far last time out at Ayr when two and a half lengths fourth to Two For Two off a handicap mark two pounds higher, and if she is primed as expected here she won’t be far away now.
6 PEAK PRINCESS – Second and fourth in her only two starts this season, beaten a neck at Leicester and then by a big eleven and a half lengths at Newmarket when tried in first-time cheekpieces. The headgear is abandoned here so she may well get back to her earlier form which includes a win at Beverley to take her maiden, though she still needs to offer up a little more to get involved in the finish this evening.
7 MISS SHERIDAN – Trainer Mick Easterby is as shrewd as any trainer out there and has already got three wins and a second out of the daughter of Lilbourne Lad this season from the five starts. She likes to make the running and off bottom weight seems likely to be able to do so, and although she was caught close home over the mile at Haydock she ought to be far happier back at the seven furlongs here. This is a big step up in class from that event but she is going well still and cannot be written off in an intriguing contest.