Flat racing on the turf is back as Doncaster hold their Lincoln Handicap fixture. ITV will be broadcasting five races from South Yorkshire alongside three races from Kempton’s Spring Saturday of racing on their polytrack. There will also be two live races from Meydan’s Dubai World Cup in the UAE.
- 1:20 Doncaster: William Hill Bill Turner Memorial EBF Brocklesby Stakes – Seathegulls @ 12/1
- 1:50 Doncaster: William Hill Price Boosts Every Day Cammidge Trophy Stakes – Aramram @ 12/1
- 2:08 Kempton: Virgin Bet Queen’s Prize Handicap – Belgravian @ 3/1
- 2:25 Doncaster: William Hill Epic Boosts Spring Mile Handicap – Classic Encounter @ 8/1
- 2:42 Kempton: Virgin Bet A Good Bet Rosebery Handicap – Respond @ 3/1
- 2:57 Doncaster: William Hill Doncaster Mile Stakes – Docklands @ 11/8
- 3:13 Kempton: Virgin Bet Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes – Cathedral @ 5/2
- 3:32 Doncaster: William Hill Lincoln – Rogue Diplomat @ 12/1
- 4:10 Meydan: Longines Dubai Sheema Classic – Calandagan @ 3/10
- 4:45 Meydan: Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline – Forever Young @ 1/2
ITV’s coverage will begin with Doncaster’s Brocklesby Stakes, a 5f Class 2 sprint for two-year-olds. As these runners are as yet unraced, keeping an eye on market movements will be crucial with Robson De Aguiar’s Blixen Force the current market leader. Gary and Josh Moore’s Seathegulls was sired by Sprint Cup and Jubilee Stakes winner Twilight Son and could be one to watch at a bigger price.
Another sprint race follows with the Listed Cammidge Stakes over 6f. The 2025 and 2024 winners of this race in Montassib and Spycatcher are set to line up however we will be taking an each way punt on Richard Hannon’s Aramram who was ultra consistent in a a busy campaign last season.
Kempton’s first live race of the day will be the 2m Queen’s Prize Handicap. Andrew Balding’s Belgravian won a hattrick of races at 2m+ last season before finishing third as favourite in a Cesarewitch trial and eighth in the race itself. He can open his account this term with a win here.
The betting suggests this year’s Spring Mile is a wide open affair with the field around 7/1 bar. George Boughey’s Classic Encounter has done his best work on more solid ground but should have the class to at least get in the frame.
Kempton’s Roseberry Handicap follows before a pair of Listed races. The Doncaster Mile is headed in the betting by Queen Anne Stakes winner, Docklands, for Harry Eustace, ahead of 150/1 Sussex Stakes champ Qirat. Despite the Ralph Beckett runner’s heroics at Goodwood, we are opting for Docklands with Volterra perhaps the pick for the forecast.
Kevin Philippart De Foy’s Cathedral was fourth at a huge price in November’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar but showed good form this side of the pond last season. She is our selection for Kempton’s last live race of the day in the Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes.
The best of the live British racing for many is saved for last with Doncaster’s £150k Lincoln Handicap bringing down the curtain on Saturday’s live racing. With the maximum field of 22 set to go to post this looks as tricky as ever. James Owen’s Rogue Diplomat won twice at the course over 7f at the end of last season and is our pick to win here stepping up to a mile.
The ITV coverage will then switch to Meydan for two Group 1s in the Dubai Sheema Classic and the Dubai World Cup.