2.10 Doncaster: Class 5 Handicap, 7f

Albeseeingyer caught the eye last time at Beverley on her seasonal reappearance. She was keen to get on with things early on, before falling a little back to chase the pace in third, travelling powerfully into the home straight.

She faded in the final furlong, but was probably entitled to so, given a combination of “needed the run”, half a furlong too far in soft ground and the early exertions.

The race should put her right and she can race off the same mark today. Progressive the last two season, she may not have reached her ceiling. This looks a winnable contest as well.

She loves the 7 furlongs trip, is a course and distance winner and acts on this type of ground as well. I hope they ride her with positive tactics today in a race that lacks a clear pace setter possibly. She can do that and could be hard to beat in that case.

10pts win – Albeseeingyer @ 4/1

……..

5.40 Doncaster: Class 6 Handicap, 5f

Showboated looks absolutely primed to win one of these low-grade sprint handicaps and could have found an ideal opportunity, for once. He threatened a couple of times this year but today could be his day.

He caught the eye in all four starts this year, for various reasons. Especially his two most recent performances gave me finally the impression he’s more than ready to win.

At Ayr he bumped into a seriously well-handicapped winner after chasing the pace without cover for most of the race and he showed a great attitude to battle hard to the line, only late denied a first career win.

He was certainly unfortunate last time at Redcar. He had to settle off the pace, given the race developed all on the far side, but he travelled strongly in the closing stages, just to be denied for space at a crucial stage. He finished well, but a clear passage a bit earlier and he’ll get much closer.

Having a strong jockey in the saddle should help too. He needs a bit of pushing and it can’t be a coincidence that Ayr was his career-best performance, also on speed ratings, when Conor Beasley was in the saddle.

Faye McManoman is a solid, no question, but Rowan Scott is an upgrade, strengths wise, in my unqualified view.

My concern is a tactical one. I hope they don’t settle too far off the pace, and instead move forward, to chase it, like at Ayr. Otherwise, he could easily find himself in a pocket once again where he gets out too late.

10pts win – Showboated @ 4/1

………

5.45 Thirsk: Class 2 Handicap, 5f

This is super competitive and probably I shouldn’t get involved, but I can’t leave Jer Batt unbacked at a big price with conditions bordering on perfect for the progressive gelding today.

I loves hi comeback run last month at Doncaster. He travelled strongly as part of a duo leading the field and only got tired in the final furlong to fade back for 4th.

He should improve for the run under his belt and comes here as a still somewhat unexposed sort. He improved nicely last season, and his form when soft appears in the going description is strong, since he moved to the UK.

An impressive winner at Musselburgh on good to soft, his subsequent Chester 2nd was an epic performance -not missed by the handicapper, mind.

One can forgive him the poor showing at Ascot on fast ground when last seen in 2023. He had a long break, and with that in mind his Doncaster performance is worthy of an upgrade.

Thirsk ground is currently good to soft and should stay that way with showers on their way. Any more rain will be better for Jer Batt, of course.

10pts win – Jer Batt @ 13/1