1.50pm Doncaster Tips & Betting Preview 2017

As things stand top weight Whataknight (5/1) heads the early betting for trainer Harry Fry and there is plenty to like about the chances of the gelding who has already won five points to points, one chase and two contests over hurdles. After a win over hurdles at Haydock he was sent over fences to finish second at Ffos Las before a bloodless victory at Hereford when his jumping left a bit to be desired before being throw in against the big boys at Cheltenham in the Grade Two Cleeve Hurdle when a well beaten tenth to stable companion Unowhatimeanharry, World Hurdle winner Cole Harden, and seven others. Despite that effort he ought to find this drop in class a lot more to his liking and with his trainer’s selective approach reaping a 31% winning strike rate in the last fourteen days there is a lot to like about his chances. With our original tip The Organist now a non runner, Whataknight looks the one set to take full advantage.

Arthurs Secret (13/2) has been well backed all week for the Sandy Thomson stable which is interesting in itself as the seven-year-old travels down from Berwickshire to contest this valuable event. Rachael McDonald takes a very useful seven pounds off his back today which can only be a benefit, and has he has placed in his last six races you could say he is overdue a win, but he has been put up four pounds for a short head second at Musselburgh last time out and wont find life nay easier now having never won over further than two and a half miles despite some valiant efforts.

Tim Vaughan is a trainer piling in the winners of late with eight in the last fortnight and if he can coax Ruacana (12/1) back to something like his best then he has every chance off of his current rating. Last time out he was pulled up at Sandown when behind Fountains Windfall and tailed off at the time but was runner up to Mr Mix in a decent race at Wincanton on Boxing Day and would not be out of this if repeating that effort. At his peak he was rated 146, a full eleven pounds more than he has to carry here, and looks to have pretty solid each way chances for his in form stable if he gets decent ground to help him get home over this trip.

Point The Way (6/1) is another who deserves a good mention in any race preview for trainer Brian Ellison who looks likely to partner him with jockey Danny Cook as things stand. All ground seems to come like to the son of Brian Boru who has won on good to soft, soft and heavy, and wasn’t beaten too far in third last time out at Wetherby when running in snatches and looking outpaced when the leaders quickened. He has to run off the same handicap mark this afternoon and may need to be dropped a few pounds before he gets his head in front again judged on that run but if the rains come and the going turns heavy that would slow up some of his rivals and he could well threaten for one of the places if the race is run at an end to end gallop as expected.