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Racecards

13:45 Doncaster

Racing Schools Apprentice Handicap (Class E)

  • 21 Runners
  • Distance: 1m 4f
  • Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 2m 37.42s
  • 21 Ran
1(16)
Silk - Dark Blue, Beige Cross of Lorraine and sleeves, Beige and Dark Blue quartered cap
33/1
  • Form 30566-0
  • Age 5
  • Weight 10-0

midfield early, ridden 4f out, soon weakened

2(12)
Silk - DARK GREEN and ORANGE (quartered), WHITE sleeves and cap
  • Form 42031-0
  • Age 4
  • Weight 9-13

switched left start, soon behind, never dangerous

3(1)
Silk - Yellow, Royal Blue epaulets, Royal Blue and Yellow diabolo on sleeves, Yellow cap, Royal Blue star
  • Form 212125-
  • Age 4
  • Weight 9-13

behind, ridden over 3f out, stayed on final 2f, never nearer

4(4)
Silk - White, Royal Blue epaulets, White sleeves, Yellow armlets, Royal Blue and Yellow quartered cap
10/1
  • Form 211311-
  • Age 7
  • Weight 9-11

held up midfield, ridden over 3f, soon weakened

5(17)
Silk - White, Black braces, armlets and star on cap
  • Form 242-410
  • Age 6
  • Weight 9-10

never better than midfield

6(3)
Silk - Red and Yellow diamonds, White sleeves and cap
  • Form 043-005
  • Age 6
  • Weight 9-9

raced keenly, chased leaders, driven to challenge over 2f, weakened inside final furlong

7(19)
Silk - Emerald Green and Royal Blue (quartered), halved sleeves

Al Azhar

145
14/1
  • Form 312150-
  • Age 9
  • Weight 9-8

held up and behind, headway 4f out, ridden over 2f, stayed on under pressure

8(10)
Silk - Yellow, Royal Blue Cross of Lorraine, chevrons on sleeves, diamonds on cap
  • Form 024/00-
  • Age 4
  • Weight 9-7

midfield, ridden over 2f, soon weakened

9(14)
Silk - Orange, Black braces, striped sleeves
  • Form 20-2003
  • Age 4
  • Weight 9-5

chased leaders until ridden and weakened 3f out

10(6)
Silk - ROYAL BLUE, WHITE chevrons, RED sleeves, WHITE armlets, EMERALD GREEN cap
50/1
  • Form 023200-
  • Age 4
  • Weight 9-5

tracked leaders, ridden to challenge over 3f, weakened over 1f out

11(2)
Silk - Maroon and Beige (quartered), Maroon sleeves
  • Form 040014-
  • Age 4
  • Weight 9-5

chased leaders until ridden and weakened over 2f out

12(5)
Silk - RED and WHITE (quartered), DARK BLUE sleeves, RED armlets, RED and WHITE hooped cap
  • Form 4/0016-0
  • Age 4
  • Weight 9-2

chased leaders until saddle slipped 6f

13(15)
Silk - Red, Blue cap and hooped sleeves

Middlethorpe

134 b
11/2
  • Form 205300-
  • Age 6
  • Weight 9-2

midfield, headway 4f out, ridden and every chance 2f out, kept on one pace final furlong

14(21)
Silk - Emerald Green, White armlets

Litany

257
16/1
  • Form 151114-
  • Age 4
  • Weight 9-0

chased leaders, ridden and effort over 3f, soon weakened

15(11)
Silk - Yellow, large Emerald Green spots and star on cap
  • Form 42-4205
  • Age 4
  • Weight 8-13

behind, switched right and headway 5f out, soon ridden and behind

16(9)
Silk - Yellow, large Maroon spots
  • Form 235/05-0
  • Age 7
  • Weight 8-10

chased leaders, headway on inside 2f out, led well over 1f out, ridden and held on well inside final furlong

17(8)
Silk - Emerald Green and White check, Emerald Green sleeves, Emerald Green and Orange quartered cap
  • Form 4300-20
  • Age 4
  • Weight 8-9

led, ridden and headed well over 1f out, weakend final furlong

18(18)
Silk - Yellow, Dark Blue stripe and sleeves, Dark Blue and Yellow striped cap
14/1
  • Form 01-4066
  • Age 4
  • Weight 8-3

held up and behind, headway 4f out, driven and not much room 3f out, kept on well under pressure inside final furlong

19(7)
Silk - Yellow, red chevron, royal blue sleeves
33/1
  • Form 366626
  • Age 8
  • Weight 8-1

behind, ridden and switched right 4f out, never dangerous

20(20)
Silk - YELLOW, BLACK sash and cap
50/1
  • Form 0004-55
  • Age 4
  • Weight 7-12

chased leaders until ridden and weakened over 1f out

21(13)
Silk - Royal Blue, Yellow Cross of Lorraine, chevrons on sleeves, Yellow cap
50/1
  • Form 050500-
  • Age 10
  • Weight 7-12

always behind

In depth

Verdict

The now traditional start to the new flat season is hardly an easy one for punters to cut their teeth on. Last year this went to Mick Easterby's Middlethorpe, and he looks likely to make a bold showing once again. His form tailed off towards the end of last season, but as a result he races off the same mark as last year, and he has been running well over hurdles recently so his fitness can be taken on trust. There is a slight worry that the ground may be on the fast side for him, but if the going report can be trusted then he seems sure to run a big race. Al Azhar progressed well last year at the grand old age of eight, winning no fewer than three times and his form when fifth in the Cumberland Plate reads very well in the context of this race. He has been absent for five months but has gone well fresh in the past, and as long as he is tuned up for this he should be a leading player. David Nicholls' Eton is another leading contender, who would not mind the ground being a bit faster. He has won in the past for today's jockey, Clare Roche, and is another who has gone well fresh in the past, so is an obvious one for the shortlist. Others to consider are Mick Channon's El Pedro, who is well-in on his all-weather form, Amanda Perrett's Leicester winner, Our Imperial Bay, and Mark Johnston's dour stayer Hearthstead Pride. We suggest waiting for the latest going report, and as long as the ground is not too fast we would give Middlethorpe the nod, with Eton the likely alternative.