For today’s horse racing tips, our analyst James Boyle looks at the flat racing meeting at Doncaster, with four selections now online.
As always, you’ll find the most up-to-date odds at the best horse racing betting sites, but our tipster’s predictions are researched early in the day and those prices could soon be moved in by the betting public. Odds stated are correct at the time of publishing.
14:25 Doncaster – Desert Cop – 1.50pts @ 33/1
Desert Cop is somewhat all-or-nothing and despite extra places up for grabs, I’m going to have a win-only bet. He’ll either be bang in the picture or sailing out the back of it as the others fight out the finish. It’s tough to be certain, but I’m sure he’s not a 33/1 shot to win if he performs.
It’s only a week since his last run and that was a bad effort on the All-Weather. However, he had a tough draw to overcome and carted along in a wider lane before weakening away. He’s best suited to racing on straight tracks as well and I’m inclined to just overlook it altogether.
The visor worn for both of his runs in August was removed there and returns today, whilst I thought he was better than the bare form suggests at York when mid-division behind Jm Jungle. The track position didn’t help and he burned his energy chasing the far side up too early.
Whether he’ll be in the right place today is anyone’s guess, but the extended 5f at this track should suit and he’s now a couple of pounds below his last win. That came in May in a similarly valuable Heritage Handicap and, if he is in proper form, he’s far from a no-hoper.
15:00 Doncaster – Pogo – 1pt @ 33/1
Pogo has got to step up on this season’s best form if he’s to threaten some of these and whether he’s capable nowadays, given his age, is up for debate. Even at his peak, he’d be a length or two shy of some of these, but the price on offer is just too tempting for me to leave him alone.
He didn’t appreciate how the Lennox panned out last time, even accounting for the fact that he wasn’t good enough, and I have a feeling this will be run more to suit. He’s usually on the speed, or just off it, and was ridden with patience at Goodwood. It’s not really his game.
Despite that, he was little more than a couple of lengths behind Kinross and a flatter track may suit him better these days. His best efforts this season came at Haydock and he doesn’t have a problem with a straight track either, so there’s no reason why Doncaster won’t play to his strengths.
It’s a bet where I’ll likely end up saying “why did I do that?” after the race, something I frequently say, but if he could run to around the 110 mark, it wouldn’t take much going wrong for the main contenders to give him a chance of holding on. I’ll put a few quid down and hope for the best.
16:15 Doncaster – Lion Of War – 1pt @ 20/1
Lion Of War hasn’t been seen on the track for more than a year and it’s even longer since he performed well, two runs in America leading to poor efforts. He has since moved back to the Johnston yard and hopefully he’ll be able to get his career back on track.
Before going abroad, he was starting to progress in handicaps. A good win over 1m 1f at Musselburgh against a pace bias being followed up with a second in a Royal Ascot handicap. He’s 5lbs higher than the latter, but it helps to show what level he can perform to.
It’s possible this run will be needed and he could be gone at the game for all I know, but the price more than factors in the risk and none of his opponents look too far ahead of their marks. I can’t be confident, but he’s another I’m happy to take a small punt on at the odds being offered up.
17:25 Doncaster – Bopedro – 1pt @ 10/1
Bopedro has shortened up already, but any of the double-figured prices still look fair. Granted, he was poor at York last time out and that’s not ideal. He is, however, being given a chance by the handicapper and is now running from 5lbs below his last winning mark.
His first two runs in August were quite encouraging despite slow starts, the second in today’s reapplied visor, and the speed wasn’t stopping for him at York. His draw out in 13 was difficult as well and there is enough in place to suggest it’s probably a run to throw out.
The mile at Doncaster should play to his strengths, he’s drawn near the main pace and Tudhope is on for the first time this season. If he can get the horse to break and they aren’t too far back in the field, I think they’ll be involved late on. He’s bound to pop up in something before long.
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