Doncaster

12.55pm

Lifeisahighway

He hasn’t really troubled the judge in three starts this season but there has been promise in his last two, and hopefully soft ground and an opening mark of 108 gives him chances. He won his point in Ireland on this kind of going and Ben’s horses have been going well of late. And I see he has had his wind done, too.

1.30pm

Shishkin

It is beginning to get a bit frustrating with this incessant rain, heavy ground and abandonments but we shouldn’t complain too much given the wider picture. But is it important we get runs into our good horses all the same, and a bit more match practice will do Shishkin the world of good. Altior had four runs before Cheltenham and Sprinter Sacre three, and experience is rarely wasted.  Of course, we have been delighted with his chase starts so far, where he has pretty much done all what we could have asked of him in two outings at Kempton – he has been easy and a pleasure to ride – and hopefully we can continue in the same vein here. But he we meet three decent rivals in their own right and ideally we want the rain to stop, so let’s take nothing for granted.

2.05pm

Floressa

It is certainly a case of the less rain from now on the better for Floressa, as her worst run last season came on soft at the Festival. But I think she will be okay and she has been very good this season, winning a good handicap off 141 at Newbury and then running well in the face of what was obviously a very stiff task in the Christmas Hurdle. The ground is a concern then and she also carries a 4lb penalty, but she clearly has the ability to take a big hand. As does her stablemate Marie’s Rock, having her first start back since running below par in that Newbury race, having had her wind done and headgear on.

2.40pm

Emir Sacree

He had a fair bit of experience in France, largely over fences, and we were all delighted with his winning debut for us at Ascot, where he got a great ride from the front from Joe Anderson. That win in a conditionals’ handicap off 125 was impressive enough to see him stepped up to Grade 2 company here, and I have seen deeper contests for the level. He obviously loves this type of ground, and I don’t see the step up in trip being an issue at all.