WITH the Festival Trials meeting at Cheltenham sadly losing out to the weather, there is still a high quality card at Doncaster, with plenty of pointers to The Festival in March.

Unibet Ambassador Nicky Henderson has a strong hand with the outstanding Shishkin looking to make it three in a row over fences in the 1.30 Novices’ Chase. This Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner has looked so exciting over fences and will win at heavily odds-on, with the next stop the Arkle at The Festival.

The Mares’ Hurdle at 2.05 looks very interesting with Nicky Henderson’s two runners Floressa and Marie Rock’s, whilst the other feature races look very competitive.

Conditions looking at the current forecast won’t be as testing as may have been predicted.

Enjoy!

Cheers

The Wine Tipster 

Doncaster

12.55 Doncaster – Handicap Hurdle 2m3½f

Lifeisahighway still has plenty more improvement to offer and ran well here in December in what looked a hot race on paper last time, staying on nicely for a distant fourth. He certainly wasn’t given a hard race on that occasion. Wind surgery since then, goes into handicaps on a fair mark and step up in trip bound to suit this point-to-point winner, with Unibet Ambassador Nico de Boinville taking the ride.

Unibet 9/1 each way

2.05 Doncaster- Grade 2 Mares’ Hurdle 2m½f

Floressa for Unibet Ambassador Nicky Henderson can beat her stable mate Marie’s Rock. At Newbury two starts ago Floressa won in impressive style, with Marie’s Rock (never travelling smoothly) losing her unbeaten record and unplaced on that occasion. Floressa stepped up again on her last start when fourth in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton to Silver Streak.

Unibet 6/4 win

2.40 Doncaster – River Don Novices’ Hurdle 3m

Pats Fancy (nap) is improving with each race and his excellent second to Make Good in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last time out in December, when travelling smoothly and showing he really gets the trip. Pats Fancy is proven on good to soft, soft and heavy and his success at Ffos Las in November is working out well (second Gladiateur Allen won a good Ascot novice last time out).

Unibet 15/2 each way

Bobhopeornohope for Kim Bailey has to be an each way contender here, if the forecast stays relatively dry. He won at Exeter in November beating Ask A Honey Bee, who reopposes today. He then followed up in good style here later in the month on his last start, with the step up to three miles looking sure to suit.

Unibet 17/2 each way

3.15 Doncaster – Handicap Chase 3m

Musical Slave has just had six chase starts and this is race that is often won by runners with low mileage. He certainly has more improvement to come and he came back from an absence to run a good race at Newbury on ground quick enough for him at Newbury in November. He would be closer if he had jumped better that day. He has been given a break, is proven on the ground, will stay and he is at the right end of the handicap. Philip Hobbs yard is now in good form too.

Unibet 8/1 each way

Takingrisks ran well on his last start when fourth to Yorkhill, when doing all of his best work late on. This will be a stiffer test, which will suit, and he looks a big price for the Nicky Richards team.

Unibet 28/1 each way