It is always tricky at this time of year as we try to balance the race fitness of those who have been active on the all-weather versus the (often) better form shown by others whose fitness is an unknow quantity – happy days if you find a winner, but difficult nonetheless.
There have been nine runnings in the lasty 10 years and five winning favourites, all odds-on, and that gives plenty of hope to the supporters of Charyn, who currently heads the market. With Roger Varian and Richard Hannon winning two each of the last nine runnings and only the Newmarket handler represented this season, you can see why he heads the market, especially when you realise the son of Dark Angel is officially rated 3lb clear of Knight (and they meet at level weights here), while his form on soft ground includes a four and a half length third to Paddington in the Group One Sussex Stakes and a third to Angel Bleu and Knight in the Group Two Celebration Mile after a slow start and a bump that put him off balance at a crucial stage.
I am thinking he can reverse that form with a clearer run, and as he has gone well fresh in the past (a debut winner and second to Issac Shelby in the Greenham last year), he will do for me.
Daily Sport Recommended Bet 1pt Win Charyn 1.20pm Doncaster 3/1 most bookmakers