Sunday Racing Tips: Clansman can be toast of Doncaster

Rob Eddy

Apr 2

Four Sunday meetings across Britain and Ireland are coming up with a mix of Flat and National Hunt action in store.

Day two of the Lincoln Meeting comes at Doncaster while there are Classic trials aplenty over at Leopardstown on a quality card, and jumps fans can look to Ascot and Downpatrick for their Sunday fare.

Our Sunday afternoon fancies include Clansman for trainer Liam Bailey in the opener at Doncaster, with conditions sure to be to his liking.

Selections

Doncaster 1.35 - Clansman @ 13/2
Ascot 3.35 - Frere D'armes @ 5/4
Leopardstown 5.30– Lauroline @ 7/4

Bet on Horse Racing with Betfred Here

Tip 1

The opening Amateur Jockeys' Handicap over a mile-and-a-half at Doncaster this afternoon presents CLANSMAN (13/2) with a chance to shine for trainer Liam Bailey in a contest where Betfred offer Free Bet if 2nd terms.

This gelded son of Nathaniel joined Bailey from Jedd O'Keefe ahead of last season and he began with a win at Redcar (1m2f, soft) in April. He held his form afterwards for the most part, his two below-par runs coming on all-weather surfaces, and he bookended the season by scoring at Ayr (1m5f, heavy) in October.

The ability to both go well fresh and to excel on a testing surface are major positives now as the ground on Town Moor took some getting on Saturday and is now opened up.

He's rated 4lb higher than when scoring at Ayr in the autumn but Clansman has Jack Lander taking 5lb off in the saddle and his proven stamina has to be an asset for this. He's on the Most Napped table via the Betfred Betfinder and looks some value at current prices.

Tip 2

The LK Bennett Handicap Chase at Ascot can go the way of Dan and Harry Skelton with their unbeaten chaser FRERE D'ARMES (5/4).

He made a good start over fences at Kempton (2m2f, good to soft) in November and he backed that up the same month at Newbury (2m½f, good), making light of a slight drop in trip and 8lb rise in the ratings.

He had a dual subsequent winner behind in second at Kempton in Gary Moore's Haddex Des Obeaux (third Dorking Lad also won next time for the same stable), while the likes of Betfair Hurdle winner Aucunrisque, Jamie Snowden's Datsalrightgino and Nicky Henderson's Balco Coastal were behind at Newbury and have done the form no harm whatsoever since.

This improving six-year-old has another 8lb hike to contend with today but he looks to have further progress in him and is fancied to justify his spot on the Most Napped table via the Betfred Betfinder by make it 3-3 in this sphere.

Horse Racing Odds

Tip 3

Johnny Murtagh can bag the final race at Leopardstown with LAUROLINE (7/4). The Lope De Vega filly has shaped with plenty of promise in three qualifying runs at Dundalk and an opening mar of 64 looks entirely fair.

The field for this mile handicap has cut up with six non-runners leaving just six to stand their ground. Her breeding suggests she should handle conditions and, evidently, connections aren't put off by testing ground.

Her main market rival is Jim Bolger's Purple Grown (2/1) and she showed up well at the Curragh under these conditions eight days ago on her comeback but that was her 19th start and she remains a maiden. It was a good effort but a 6lb rise for finishing second looks a trifle harsh now taking on this unexposed rival.