Don’t Panic…he’ll be back!

Here are the weekend performance ratings:

Doncaster Mile – Medicine Path 79

Easter Stakes – Il Warrd 71

Masaka Stakes – Jazz Jem 55

The Doncaster Mile looked a strong renewal this year and both the first two are smart individuals who will pay their way in better races during the coming months.
A lot of hype surrounded the runner-up, Don’t Panic, and my instinct watching the race was that he pulled fairly hard on the outside and could’ve done with being covered up more. As a result he was a sitting duck for Medicine Path late on, but still showed a good attitude in fighting to the line. If Don’t Panic were mine, I’d run him in the Listed Hambleton Handicap at York’s Dante meeting in May assuming his official rating doesn’t rise above 110. He would get a lot more cover in that event.

And so the show moves on to Newmarket this week, and it’s that time of year when certain media figures will spout the line ‘the start of the Flat season proper’, followed by something like ‘why run the Lincoln in between Cheltenham and Aintree?’ This criticism always annoys me, for when exactly is the start of the National Hunt, and what race or meeting officially triggers their season – Chepstow in October before the November Handicap?

The Craven meeting has received a lot of attention this year with the Post running Newmarket week, and some decent types look to be lining up on Wednesday and Thursday, which isn’t always the case at this fixture – often a red herring. However, I’ve a feeling looking at the early declarations this year’s fixture could throw up some horses of interest, just a shame Channel 4 have taken the cameras away!
I’m not sure where the stalls will be at this stage but if they are on the far side then middle to high numbers could have an edge, while it always helps to stick with those that like to sit handy. The Hills twins have ridden well at this meeting in races run at a sedate pace, while the Barry Hills and Richard Hannon yards are usually among the winners.

Newbury follows at the weekend with more Guineas trials and it will be a busy spell for the book with 10 races in four days – think you can handle it?
The Spring Cup is always a favourite of mine, especially as it’s now on the straight track where a middle to high draw has been in effect. There are a host of attractive handicappers in the line-up this year with Henry Cecil and Sir Michael Stoute entering a couple of interesting types, and no doubt Lang Shining will be all the rage throughout the week after missing the cut in the Lincoln. Let the hype begin!

I’ll be back later this week.