Today's Tote Placepot Tips for Doncaster

Leg 1 Selections: Silver Knott, Chaldean, Indestructible 

A poor turnout with all due respect for this valuable Group Two contest with only three going to post. SILVER KNOTT wasn’t far behind CHALDEAN when fourth on debut at Newbury and has won both starts, including when striding clear to Group Three success last time. He is one to be positive about, though Chaldean beat the re-opposing INDESTRUCTIBLE at York last-time-out and neither of those can be discounted in this race either. I think the sensible option is to put all three on our ticket to guarantee we get through to the next stage of today’s Placepot. 

Leg 2 Selections: Bellosa, Fools Rush In

Jane Chapple-Hyam has had a great season and I am interested in her only runner of the day, BELLOSA, who has just her second turf handicap start off a lenient mark of 96 here, which is two pounds lower than when seventh at York. She’s not been at her best in three starts so far this year, but she’ll find this easier than all of those, and Hollie Doyle has been booked to ride. This filly retains potential and is drawn well in stall 11, which could allow her to grab the rail, as she’s more than likely to go forward here. If Hollie Doyle can consume enough of her energy for the latter stages, she might have plenty in reserve to see off this field, which is evidently littered with exposed types. 

FOOLS RUSH IN was undone by a wide draw and fast ground when never able to land a blow at Chester last time but had previously bolted up back at the same venue on softer ground under Harry Davies and is only three-pounds higher in this race. The last time he ran over this trip, which was on soft ground, he comfortably defied top-weight. He’s not handicapped out of things in this race and gets his favoured conditions too. He’ll get a strong pace to aim at no doubt and, with this course sure to play to his strengths, should go well at generous odds here. 

Leg 3 Selections: Trillium

I am really excited to see TRILLIUM here, who’s improving with each start and displayed a lovely turn of foot to beat a top-quality field in the Group Three Molecomb Stakes last time with lots to spare. That was her first try at five, but she coped with the test easily, as she cruised into contention and burst clear in the closing stages without being asked for complete maximum effort either. Of course, this won’t be straightforward, with Nunthorpe runner-up The Platinum Queen in the line-up but Richard Fahey’s filly should set this race up perfectly for Richard Hannon’s charge, who should have lots more to come and can therefore continue her rise through the ranks with more success here. 

Leg 4 Selections: Justanotherbottle, Nomadic Empire, Count D’Orsay 

JUSTANOTHERBOTTLE is a regular in these big-field handicaps, like most of the opposition in fact, but he’s made the frame in this race in the past and often runs a lot more good races than bad. He was fair fifth in the Great St Wilfrid last time and is effectively four-pounds lower than successful at Ripon back in June if you take into account Oisin McSweeney’s five-pounds claim, which is valuable. The eight-year-old has winning form on ground ranging from good-to-firm to soft-to-heavy and has a nice slot in stall 16, which should hopefully see him get a prominent role. If front-running tactics are deployed, he could be tough to overhaul. Kevin Ryan has a great record in these types of events, so he’s dangerous to dismiss. 

David O’Meara’s NOMADIC EMPIRE has a really good chance off this mark. He ran well when fifth last week in a messy race and has signalled that he’s ready to strike sooner rather than later based on his fourth 22 at York last month. He’s been second over course-and-distance on both visits off marks of 94 and 98, and his last two wins have been off this mark of 93, so there’s no doubt he’s well-treated at the moment. He even made the frame a couple of times off marks in the 100’s last year too, including the last time he tackled conditions that had soft in the description, which was when fourth at York off a mark of 102. He has the ability to win this. 

Tim Easterby has two runners in this but it’s interesting to see stable jockey David Allan opt to ride last year's third COUNT D’ORSAY instead of Sunday Sovereign. He hasn’t won in two years but he’s three-pounds below his last winning mark and eight-pounds lower than when a close-up third in this race twelve months ago. He hasn’t really had his conditions since his head second at Chester off a mark of 94 and his mark has dipped below 90 for the first time in well over three years here. With conditions suitable, and being eligible to compete off bottom-weight, there is no reason why he cannot go close to winning this race this year with lots in his favour and given all of his placed efforts in the last two years have been off higher marks. 

Leg 5 Selections: Trueshan

TRUESHAN ran his heart out when third to Kyprios in the Goodwood Cup despite conditions being quicker than ideal and conditions are likely to be much softer here. He won the Northumberland Plate off top-weight on his penultimate start and is the only Group 1 winner in the field. Alan King’s six-year-old is a high-class stayer and while he’s never raced at Doncaster before, he’s clear of these on the form available and official ratings. It’s hard to see any of the opposition beating him, even if conditions were quicker, because he’s simply the best horse in the race. With no Stradivarius and Kyprios in the field, this is a great opportunity for him to get back to winning ways under Hollie Doyle. 
 

Leg 6 Selections: Al Suhail, New Energy 

Kinross won the City Of York Stakes in good style last time but even though AL SUHAIL was back in fifth that day, he should strip fitter for that run here and has the class to beat the favourite if back to his best. He hasn’t been on his A-game in both starts this year, but Charlie Appleby has clearly left plenty to work on with this race probably being his main aim. The five-year-old absolutely destroyed Garrus and Double Or Bubble under positive tactics at Newmarket on his final start last year at this level and a repeat of that form would give him solid claims here. 

William Buick is likely to ride him more prominently with fitness assured now and, if he can get into a nice rhythm, his turn of foot and pace might have these in trouble a fair way from the finish. He is a massive player. NEW ENERGY has performed consistently in defeat in various Group 1 events the last three times though and wasn’t beaten far when seventh in the Haras D'etreham Prix Jean Prat last time. He will appreciate this drop in grade and his second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas is a solid piece of form. If he can return to that form in this race, the Irish raider would have outstanding claims of beating these as he comes out best at the weights too.