13:25 Doncaster

Leg 1 Selections: Cathy Come Home

Karl Burke has an excellent recent record in this nursery event and surely if CATHY COME HOME handles the ground, she will go close to winning this race. She won easily on debut at Musselburgh and ran with credit when eighth of 16 in the Group Three Albany at Royal Ascot on her next start behind Meditate.

She then didn’t get the clearest of passages when midfield in a valuable race at York and ought to find this race a lot easier. She has to give plenty of weight to these but she’s the clear highest rated runner in the field and, provided she gets a clear run, I cannot see how she doesn’t make her presence felt here.

14:00 Doncaster

Leg 2 Selections: Cold Case, Magical Sunset

Karl Burke has a good chance in this race too, with COLD CASE in the line-up. He’s won and made the frame in all four starts and ran a huge race to finish third in the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes last time. That is seriously strong form in the context of this easier assignment as he had the likes of Chateau and Royal Scotsman in behind. He has an excellent chance. 

MAGICAL SUNSET was given a confident ride en route to making a winning debut, in which she saw off a subsequent easy winner. She is open to further improvement and while this is a step up in grade, she could be above-average and is probably the one to fear most, though Karl Burke’s runner is the better value in my view. 

14:35 Doncaster

Leg 3 Selections: Dance In The Grass

Charlie and Mark Johnston have two good horses in the form of Ferrari Queen and DANCE IN THE GRASS, with preference for the latter, who’s two-from-two and did well to overcome a lot of negatives to win a Listed event last time. I know she’s a short-priced favourite but she brings the best form to the table and has excellent claims here. 

Ideally, she also gets the services of William Buick in the saddle, who’s had a great season. This filly is rated clear of those who have experience and while this race is littered with promising types, Dance In The Grass, who’s got lots of quality, should be tough to beat in her bid to keep her unbeaten record firmly intact. 

15:10 Doncaster

Leg 4 Selections: Believe In Love, Urban Artist

BELIEVE IN LOVE wasn’t far behind Eshaada in the Lancashire Oaks and might be able to bridge the gap at this course. She had earlier won a Group Three at York and came close to winning the Group 1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu last year in Paris when beaten just a head. She was only third in this last year when sent off favourite but connections likely to have targeted her at this race all year again, she’s a major threat to the favourite with conditions in her favour under Andrea Atzeni. 

URBAN ARTIST ran an unbelievable race to finish runner-up in the Lillie Langtry at Goodwood, where she was only beaten a length considering she set a furious gallop. She was down the field in this race twelve months ago but she’s a tough mare, will relish any arrival of rain and connections have retained Jason Hart to ride, who was the one to have given her an enterprising ride last-time-out. She’ll need a career-best to take the spoils but she’s more than good enough to at least make the frame.

15:45 Doncaster

Leg 5 Selections: Harrow, Admiral D

HARROW hasn’t been at his best the last three times but the return to this trip should spark a revival, especially when you take into account his last attempt at this trip resulted with a good third behind Modern Games in a Group Three and this is a significant drop in grade from that race. His overall record over this trip reads 2113 and he beat the 108-rated Ever Given on his last visit here in the valuable two-year-old race. He had previously beat Alflaila too, who’s won two races this year, including in a Group Three last time. If he can return to the form of any of those two wins, he should go extremely well here off an attractive mark of 93 that’s more than within his compass. He is one of my strongest bets of the week.  

ADMIRAL D was twice a winner at two on soft ground and has shaped well in defeat in all starts this year, including when faring best of those held up last time. His connections are already thinking of supplementing him for the Ayr Gold Cup if he can run a big race here and that’s definitely possible. He is only a pound higher than when second to Lethal Levi at Newmarket and is open to improvement, so in the hope he doesn’t get too far detached, he’s likely to be finishing his race strongly, which should see him on the premises in the closing stages. 

16:20 Doncaster

Leg 6 Selections: Adayar

Although he’s not been seen for ten months, 2021 Derby winner ADAYAR has an excellent opportunity to make a winning return. He brings the best form to the table, had one of today’s rivals in behind in the Derby and is rated clear of the pair as well in leg six. 

He’s undeniably the best horse in the race and while he might be a bit rusty, he should still prove too good for these. His fourth in the Arc is another high-class piece of form. It would come as a shock if he couldn’t beat his two rivals under William Buick in this drop in grade.