Racecards
14:35 Doncaster
Merlin Land Rover Handicap
- 13 Runners
- Distance: 7f
- Going: Good to Firm
- Surface: Turf
- Form 828309
- Age 4
- Weight 9-9
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer M R Channon
- Jockey S Hitchcott
in touch, ridden to go 2nd over 1f out, every chance well inside final furlong, ran on
- Form 74058-0
- Age 5
- Weight 9-9
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer J S Goldie
- Jockey N Mackay
mid-division, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
- Form 9-04664
- Age 5
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 93
- Trainer E S McMahon
- Jockey B Swarbrick
towards rear, ridden halfway, headway over 2f out, ran on to lead last strides
- Form 11123-0
- Age 4
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer G A Swinbank
- Jockey Dean McKeown
prominent, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
- Form 40430-4
- Age 5
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer T D Easterby
- Jockey J F Egan
chased leaders, ridden well over 1f out, not quickened inside final furlong
- Form 1D-0690
- Age 8
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 91
slowly into stride, behind, headway when not clear run over 1f out, ran on inside final furlong
- Form 63-0000
- Age 7
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 90
- Trainer J & S Quinn
- Jockey M Fenton
held up, ridden and headway over 1f out, no extra towards finish
- Form 0440-72
- Age 4
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer N P Littmoden
- Jockey V Slattery
started very slowly, soon pushed along towards rear, ridden and headway over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong
- Form 6-90089
- Age 5
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer A Berry
- Jockey Graham Gibbons
chased leaders, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
- Form 0-44108
- Age 7
- Weight 8-13
- Official Rating 87
led, ridden over 2f out, headed last strides
- Form 1115-93
- Age 4
- Weight 8-13
- Official Rating 87
- Trainer B W Hills
- Jockey Michael Hills
mid-division, ridden 3f out, weakened 2f out
- Form 660-720
- Age 4
- Weight 8-10
- Official Rating 84
- Trainer R A Fahey
- Jockey T Hamilton
in touch, ridden over 1f out, not quickened inside final furlong
- Form 655-855
- Age 6
- Weight 8-9
- Official Rating 83
- Trainer D Nicholls
- Jockey K Darley
held up, headway halfway, ridden over 2f out, weakened quickly
In depth
Verdict
Kamanda Laugh, Flighty Fellow and Valjarv all hold decent claims in this competitive handicap and the vote is given to Kamanda Laugh. The selection should be spot-on today after a couple of runs already this season. He improved for his seasonal reappearance effort when a good third behind Sew'N'So Character last time at Chester and nominal improvement from that run will make him hard to beat today. Flighty Fellow is from a yard in good form and he ran a sound first race of the season over 1m at Thirsk when fourth behind Ballast. He has place claims here but the suspicion is that he is slightly better over further than today's trip and for that reason we will take him on. Valjarv often threatens more than she delivers but she was a fair second behind Fruit of Glory last time. That was over 6f which is probably her best trip and she looks worth taking on today. El Coto is game and consistent and looks to have decent place prospects, but for the winner we will stick with Kamanda Laugh.
Formwatch
Compton's Eleven 66-1 (9-3) Chased leaders, ridden 2f out, one pace, weakened inside final furlong, 9th of 19, 10l behind Soldier's Tale (8-12) at York 6f hcp (2) gs.
Middlemarch (IRE) 50-1 (8-12) Tracked leader, ridden 2f out, weakened final furlong, last of 12, 14l behind Quito (9-7) at York 7f lst hcp (1) sft.
El Coto 8-1 (9-4) Close up, chased leader halfway, ridden and every chance, hung right over 1f out, held when not much room inside final furlong, 4th of 5, 3l behind Azarole (9-7) at Leicester 7f stk (4) sft.
Red Romeo 12-1 (8-10) Raced stands' side, always in rear, 21st of 30, 10l behind Indian Trail (8-6) at Newmarket 6f hcp (2) gf in Apr.
Flighty Fellow (IRE) 18-1 (9-5) Towards rear, headway over 2f out, ridden and one pace final 2f, 4th of 14, 7l behind Ballast (9-4) at Thirsk 1m hcp (2) gs in Apr.
Nashaab (USA) 20-1 (8-10) Always behind, last of 13, well behind Tiger Tiger (8-7) at Chester 1m 2f hcp (2) gs.
Fantasy Believer 40-1 (8-11) Never better than mid-division, 11th of 19, 11l behind Soldier's Tale (8-12) at York 6f hcp (2) gs.
Valjarv (IRE) 11-1 (9-3) Dwelt, towards rear, pushed along halfway, ridden over 1f out, ran on final furlong, nearest at finish, 2nd of 11, 1l behind Fruit of Glory (9-8) at Ripon 6f hcp (3) gf.
Desert Lord (8-6) Slowly into stride; in rear; ridden straight; effort 400m out; never dangerous, 9th of 12, 8l behind Walmooh (9-2) at Nad Al Sheba 1m hcp gd in Feb.
Cardinal Venture (IRE) 11-1 (8-9) With leader, led over 4f out, ridden over 2f out, headed over 1f out, weakened final furlong, 8th of 18, 12l behind Sew'n'so Character (8-7) at Chester 1m hcp (2) gs.
Kamanda Laugh 13-2jt-fav (8-7) Mid-division, headway over 3f out, ridden to lead over 1f out, headed and no extra inside final furlong, 3rd of 18, 1l behind Sew'n'so Character (8-7) at Chester 1m hcp (2) gs.
Doitnow (IRE) 7-1 (9-8) Chased leaders, ridden and every chance over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 11th of 15, 5l behind Gone'n'dunnett (8-8) at Yarmouth 6f hcp (4) gs.
Selective 9-2fav (9-2) Behind, hampered over 3f out, driven and headway 2f out, ridden and stayed on well inside final furlong, nearest finish, 5th of 16, 3l behind Stoic Leader (9-3) at Catterick 7f hcp (3) frm.