Picks on Day 1 at Doncaster....

Wednesday, 10th September 2025

Picks on Day 1 at Doncaster….

A stats perspective on Saturday’s Portland….

In ATC today….

…. I swing the bat in the handicaps on Day 1 at Doncaster….

I’m on HOPEWELL ROCK in the 3.35 – up at 6s & 11/2….

…. and I’m on MUNSIF at 7s in the 5.15….

That’s the summary….

…. you’ll find all my reasoning below – as per usual….

Oh…. and if you’re looking for the standout place terms on offer – you’ll find them in the Bet Box below….

Read on….

-----

HOPEWELL ROCK is the pick for tomorrow’s Oddschecker Handicap at Doncaster (3.35) – at 6s & 11/2….

This son of New Bay cost his fancy connections 235,000 guineas and is surely expected to leave his current mark behind….

Perhaps he’s had a niggle or perhaps it was always the intention to save him for the later stages of the 2025 campaign….

…. but he probably just needed his return at Newbury last month – his first go at handicap level and his first go at the 10f trip….

He was a little slow into stride from the stalls….

…. maybe running a little keen at stages….

…. but he hit the line well enough under tomorrow’s jockey Billy Loughnane….

…. and I expect him to step up on that performance….

I thought MUNSIF ran a much more promising race than the bare form suggests at Goodwood last time….

…. and he’s the pick at 7s in the Winners Wear Skopes Menswear Handicap (5.15)….

Stuck out widest of all in the early stages, what I liked most about his performance was the eye-catching move he made into the race off the home turn….

He fairly breezed into the front group with Jim Crowley sat stock still whilst the other riders were getting to work on their mounts….

He set sail for home….

…. and for one moment it looked like he was going to be the one to lay it down to the rest….

…. but the run petered out and he ended up getting beaten 5l into sixth….

I thought he was better than that on his first go since the end of May and his first go since being gelded….

…. and he gave the impression – to me at least – that he could be nicely handicapped on a mark of 87….

Perhaps there was an issue with concentration that last time – and Roger Varian reaches for the hood tomorrow….

…. headgear he’s 39/201 (19.4%) with on first-time application since the start of 2012….

We’ll see how it works out this time – but hopefully it will help….

-----

Now, just to recap….

-----

That’s all for today….

I’ll be back tomorrow with picks for Day 2 at Doncaster….

Meantime – contact me at – nick.pullen@spapublishinggroup.co.uk

And remember – win, lose or draw – enjoy the racing….

Stay tuned….

Against the Crowd