The Gazette's Friday racing guide: Lord can show class at Doncaster

Lord Yeats can provide Jedd O’Keeffe with his biggest winner on the Flat in Friday’s Doncaster Cup on Town Moor.

O’Keeffe was flung into the big time by his smart hurdler Sam Spinner and Lord Yeats has already done his bit to ensure the Middleham handler is known under both codes.

Winner of a big handicap at York and a Listed race at Newmarket last season, he has slightly struggled upped in class.

However, there was plenty of promise in his run when fifth in a French Group Two on his penultimate start and he ran better than his finishing position of 11th suggests in the Ebor last time out.

The ground will have been much faster than he appreciates at York, so rain earlier in the week at Doncaster was welcomed.

He will not get many better chances of winning a Cup race and while Willie Mullins has three in it, all of Thomas Hobson, Max Dynamite and Renneti have seen better days.

Archie Watson is another trainer making waves and Soldier’s Call can provide him with a first Group Two win in the Wainwrights Flying Childers Stakes.

A winner at Royal Ascot, he was expected to follow up in the Molecomb but had no answer to Rumble Inthejungle.

Soldier’s Call has since won with ease in Group Three company in France and given any horse can be excused a bad run at Goodwood, he is expected to get his revenge on Rumble Inthejungle.

Laugh Aloud showed enough on her return to action to suggest she is up to winning the Japan Racing Association Sceptre Stakes.

She was off the track for well over a year before finishing fourth to Veracious at Sandown two weeks ago and as long as she avoids the dreaded bounce factor, she should prove hard to beat.

Jonah Jones took a big step forward from his first run to his second and may prove a bit of value in the Weatherbys Global Stallions App Flying Scotsman Stakes.

Walton Street may outclass his rivals William Hill Mallard Handicap for Charlie Appleby given he was not disgraced behind stablemate Hamada last time out.

Andrew Balding’s Indomitable should have no trouble opening his account in the Total Fitness / Supporting British Stallions EBF Novice Stakes at Chester.

Second on debut at Chelmsford, he then ran a fine race to be second in the Convivial Maiden at York, which is traditionally a hot event.

Simon Crisford’s Mordin was beaten less than 10 lengths in the John Smith’s Cup and down in class for the China Southern Sanya Handicap at Sandown, he rates the one to beat.

Crisford can double up at Salisbury with Jash who created a huge impression on debut. He reappears in the Excalibur Communications Novice Stakes before a possible tilt at the Middle Park.

SELECTIONS

CHESTER: 2.00 Indomitable, 2.35 Dark Thunder, 3.10 Breathable, 3.40 The Feathered Nest, 4.15 Deja, 4.45 Twin Star, 5.15 Gabrial’s Kaka.

DONCASTER: 1.50 Laugh Aloud, 2.25 Soldier’s Call, 3.00 Walton Street, 3.35 LORD YEATS (NAP), 4.05 Jonah Jones, 4.40 Buffalo River, 5.10 Shared Equity, 5.45 Jack Regan.

LISTOWEL: 2.05 Munees Gemini, 2.40 Stormy Belle, 3.15 Freetown, 3.45 Storm Rising, 4.20 Listen Dear, 4.50 Touch Base, 5.20 Debuchet, 5.50 Kerry Star.

SALISBURY: 3.30 Cricklewood Green, 4.00 Jash, 4.35 Dudley’s Boy, 5.05 Cromwell, 5.40 Thriving, 6.10 Bidding War, 6.40 Clubora, 7.10 Foxtrot Lady.

SANDOWN: 2.15 Royal Dynasty, 2.50 Victors Lady, 3.25 Aussie Nugget, 3.55 Mordin, 4.30 Another Boy, 5.00 Augenblick, 5.30 The Last Emperor.