Wednesday 19 February 2020

Doncaster - February 19

Good to be back racing again but not much of a punting card in all truth, the going looked pretty soft all round and they needed to stay well.

The opener was an EBF qualifier where the front two in the market looked pretty solid despite their penalties, neither making much appeal at the odds though in a race that looked quite deep on paddock inspection, being full of chasing types.

Both Sevarano and Igor should make chasers, the former being a nicer type, but he may just prefer better ground and it was pretty slow motion stuff as front running The Macon Lugnatic repelled all raiders.

Very much a chaser in the making, the winner was putting a poor hurdling debut behind him to return to his decent bumper form, and even better ground should suit him based on that.

Carlow Farmer was bandaged in front and looked quite light framed for a tall individual, however he was up there for a long way although he's one I'm a little wary of for now.

Igor surprisingly faded away despite a drop in trip, and Logan Rocks is going the wrong way. The rest were quite disappointing although we're at the time of year when a few of them might be wanting some better ground.

The next was a competitive handicap hurdle for stayers and it looked like the veteran Kansas City Chief was about to win again at the track before taking a hard left approaching the final hurdle.

Such was the camera angle that it wasn't clear as to why it happened, but it handed victory to Shah An Shah who looked really well beforehand and he's starting life from the right end of the handicap. It was also a consecutive winner for Shirocco, a sire of good National Hunt types.

They were strung out all over south Yorkshire behind, the only one able to go with the front two being Rath An Iuir, who seemingly took an age to get going before staying on to good effect.

Following a 10-week absence, it's possible the Rose Dobbin-trained youngster had a blow before catching a second wind and this decent looking horse is one to remain the right side of.

Allart had a penalty kick in another novices hurdle and duly obliged, a quite raw chase type in the making, followed home by Red Nika and Youracert, who look sure to prefer better ground.

Tumbling Dice was the only other to take the eye, being a decent type if backward looking, and he was very novicey at the obstacles before staying on with pluck. He should win handicaps in due course.

The veterans chase saw a number of not-so golden oldies come together without much recent form, but the lightly-raced Burtons Well appeared to be on good terms with himself in new headgear, snatching the race late on from the luckless Minellacelebration.

Two horses clearly not the force of old were Jonniesofa, who hasn't built on his delightful reappearance win, and I Just Know, one of the sadder sights to see this once-perfect jumper hesitate at a number of fences in the manner of one whose confidence is shot.

The market called the bumper spot on with the well backed Adrimel defying a penalty, all out to defeat chief rival The Edgar Wallace in a driving finish. The latter is probably the nicer type but the winner could be a little freakish.

Of the others, Slap Dash Harry looked okay but was very green beforehand, as was Regaby, while Roussimoff is enormous and is probably too backward to be of any interest in the short term.


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