Today on Sky Sports Racing: Doncaster, Lingfield and Newcastle feature on busy Friday ahead of Grimthorpe weekend
Competitive veterans handicap chase the feature at Doncaster on Friday (3.10); Oisin Murphy back in Qatar Racing colours at Newcastle on fascinating newcomer for James Ferguson in six-furlong novice event (6.45); watch every race live on Sky Sports Racing
Thursday 2 March 2023 11:20, UK
It's a belter three-card Friday on Sky Sports Racing with quality action from Doncaster, Lingfield and Newcastle, all live from 1.15pm.
3.10 Doncaster - Veterans take centre stage in competitive handicap
A ten-strong field of National Hunt stalwarts go to post for the feature at Doncaster, the Virgin Bet Conditional Jockeys' Veterans' Handicap Chase (3.10), led by top weight and elder statesman of the field Potters Legend for Charlie Longsdon and Theo Gillard.
The 13-year-old is well used to these contests by now but needs to improve on his most recent effort at Wincanton when well down the field in seventh.
At 12, Nick Alexander's Up Helly Aa King is still showing plenty of love for the game and won a similar prize here in February 2022 but might benefit from a bit more juice in the ground.
Mr Muldoon, for Dr Richard Newland, was a winner over hurdles at Chepstow in January and followed that with a good effort at Musselburgh last time.
The Joe Tizzard-trained Molineaux is an intriguing runner as he returns from a successful spell in the Point-to-Point sphere last year.
3.00 Lingfield - Baldomero a threat down in trip for Appleby
You can make a good case for any number of the 12-runner field assembled for the feature at Lingfield, the Betuk Over 40,000 Live Streamed Races Handicap (3.00).
Michael Appleby makes the interesting decision to drop Baldomero down in trip to six furlongs for the first time, having chased home Wyvern over seven furlongs here a week ago.
That form should give trainer Stuart Williams a good read on where he stands with Tolstoy, formerly a classy juvenile when in the hands of John and Thady Gosden.
There are two last-time-out winners lurking in the line-up off short breaks who will be of interest. Dora Penny notched up six victories for David Evans last year, while Marco Botti's lightly-raced Laheg has looked good since switching to the all-weather with wins at Chelmsford and Wolverhampton already over six furlongs.
6.45 Newcastle - Ferguson debutant takes on Ryan's Hello Queen
Oisin Murphy is back in the familiar Qatar Racing colours at Newcastle in the Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Novice Stakes (6.45) on James Ferguson's debutant Alpha Zulu.
Out of Group Three winner La Rioja, the three-year-old starts his track career over the six furlongs against nine rivals.
They include two previous winners - Kevin Ryan's Hello Queen and Richard Fahey's Yesterday's Hero.
The former improved for her debut effort over five furlongs to score at Wolverhampton in early January, while Yesterday's Hero made a successful start at Chelmsford.
