Doncaster Racecourse: Preview and tips for Thursday’s seven-race evening card

Racing gets underway at 5.05 with a seven-runner class five handicap and rounds off three hours later at 8.20 as eight runners tackle another class five handicap.

The opener (5.05) is a 6f handicap in class five for horses older than four and preference is for King’s Crown, who hasn’t won in 14 starts but was encouraging on his first run for his new yard, that of Michael Dods, last time around only 12 days ago at Thirsk. Of his rivals, Supreme King could provide the main danger having won at Kempton back in March.

Race two on the card (5.40) is a class four maiden stakes and a small field of five will tackle the 5f sprint distance. Arabie, bought for £92,000 as a yearling, is a big player in the second race, chasing only one home in a Thirsk maiden last month.

The third race of the evening (6.15) can go the way of Little Rose for the powerhouse yard of trainer William Haggas. A daughter of Dubawi, she won easily when switching to turn at Beverley last week to score by four and half lengths and will be very tough to beat once again despite a penalty on her back for that previous success.

The in-form Fleur De Mer should have the run of things in race four (6.50), a good second of 14 in a Thirsk handicap when last seen to continue he improvement and with top jockey Tom Marquand an eye-catching booking for trainer Hugo Palmer, the four-year-old ios taken to get his first career win.

Race five (7.20) sees a couple of newcomers of note in the 7f maiden stakes in class five, including a runner from high-profile Godolphin outfit, Coronado King, who is related to several winners over this distance and further. Transitioning is another to note on debut for trainer Andrew Balding, bought for £180,000 as a yearling and also well-related to 7f winners. The latter gets the nod however, with Balding saddling a three-year-old newcomer winner at Yarmouth on Tuesday and Transitioning is taken to follow suit.

The penultimate race on the card (7.50) sees a small field of four take on the class five handicap over 7f and Royal Tapestry, a winner at Lingfield in November, has the cheekpieces on for the first time to improve from a disappointing last of six finish in January at Southwell. Trainer Charlie Johnston has booked top-class jockey Oisin Murphy for the ride as well so the signs point to a positive result.

Finally, the card comes to a close with the 6f handicap (8.20) and preference is for Mr Irrelevant for trainer Grant Tuer, who is taken to defy a 6lb penalty for winning an eight-runner handicap at Ripon when last seen.

Doncaster selections - Thursday (via Grosvenor Sport)

5.05 - Supreme King

5.40 - Arabie

6.15 - Little Rose

6.50 - Fleur De Mer

7.20 - Transitioning

7.50 - Royal Tapestry

8.20 - Mr Irrelevant