Saturday, 13th September 2025
Get this afternoon’s picks right here….
In ATC today….
…. I swing the bat in all the big handicaps on Day 4 at Doncaster….
I’m on UP THE PACE in the 2.30 – up at 16s….
…. I’m on PUROSANGUE at 16s in the 3.00….
…. and I’m on TAN RAPIDO at 9s in the 4.40….
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….
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UP THE PACE is a decent price at the general 16s for tomorrow’s City Of Doncaster Handicap (2.30)….
He’s had a decent season – going up the weights to the tune of 13lbs – but I reckon there’s more to come yet….
He progressed for his first three runs of the campaign but was a little below par last time at Ascot….
…. but I can forgive that – given that he was racing over an inadequate 6f and got outpaced late on….
Prior to that he’d been improving with each run at the 7f trip and the form of his race at Newmarket in July reads particularly well….
…. he split Leadman – a horse I rate whose up 6lb since and looks destined to land a big pot at some point….
…. and Two Tribes – whose risen a stone up the rankings since having won the International and the Stewards’ Cup on his next two starts….
That’s decent form and back up at 7f tomorrow I reckon Edward Smyth-Osbourne’s charge can resume progression….
There’s rain around tomorrow afternoon – and if some of it falls before 2.30 that’s no bad thing for Up The Pace….
Most of his racing last term was done in the later stages of the season when the ground had some juice in it….
…. his trainer reckons he’s better on softer ground – which he hasn’t yet had the benefit of this term….
…. and it could well be that his peak performance for the season is produced this back end….
Oh, and we know he likes Doncaster – having won a big-field handicap at the track earlier this term (albeit at a lower level than tomorrow’s race)….
I think he’s a nice price….
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In the Betfred 'The Classic Bookmaker' Handicap (3.00) I’m going to roll the dice and back PUROSANGUE at the general 16s….
At the start of the season, he was rated 105 – but he’s tumbled pretty swiftly to a career low of mark of 96 on the back of five defeats….
There wasn’t much to say in mitigation about one or two of those performances but last time at Goodwood the 4yo was as competitive as he’s been this term….
Stepped up to 7f he was still swinging with the main players entering the final furlong but just faded out of it in the closing stages….
He looked like a horse coming to hand….
…. and he gave the impression that this in-between trip of 6.5f tomorrow could well prove ideal….
…. especially if we get a bit of rain ahead of the race….
His strike rate could be a little better, but he’s very well handicapped now, and he represents an interesting player at a nice price….
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The later it gets the more chance of a really heavy downpour at Doncaster tomorrow afternoon….
…. and on that basis I’m going to pin my colours to TAN RAPIDO at the general 9s in the IPM Group Handicap (4.40)….
I think the consensus opinion about him is that he’s a better horse on the AW – but I’m not so sure….
On soft ground at Yarmouth two runs back he produced a career best performance – and maybe juice in the ground is what he needs on turf….
If he gets an agreeable surface tomorrow then I see him getting involved under Harry Davies – a rider he goes well for….
He’s up against a whole stack of exposed and ageing types – and whilst he’s had 13 goes under rules himself I think he’s as unexposed on turf as anything in the race….
He’s improved for pretty much every run over the minimum trip this term barring his last effort at Southwell where he was denied a clear passage – and I can draw a line through that….
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Now, just to recap….
The pick of the prices….To recap on my bets…. In the 2.30 @ Doncaster….
e/w terms = Sky Bet pay 6 places. It’s 5 places generally…. In the 3.00 @ Doncaster….
e/w terms = It’s 5 places generally…. In the 4.40 @ Doncaster….
e/w terms = Sky Bet pay 6 places. It’s 5 places generally…. Advised prices are correct at the point of publication – but subject to fluctuation. Shop around – you may find better quotes and terms than advised…. |
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That’s all for today….
I’ll be back with more later in the week….
Meantime – contact me at – nick.pullen@spapublishinggroup.co.uk
And remember – win, lose or draw – enjoy the racing….
Stay tuned….
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