Doncaster, Saturday 25 April 2026 — Evening Tips

Doncaster, Saturday 25 April 2026 — Evening Tips

A compact seven-race card at Town Moor on good to firm ground, and the going is a key factor across the board tonight. Three of the featured races are over middle distances, favouring horses with proven stamina and the ability to handle quick ground. With a number of horses making handicap debuts and seasonal returns, there is genuine value to be found for those willing to look beyond the market leaders.

6:15 — British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies' Handicap (1m2f)

Selection: Naga (9/4, Bet365)

The Gosden yard is running at a healthy 9/31 strike rate over the past two weeks, and James Doyle takes the ride on this well-related Dubawi filly who arrives here off the back of back-to-back handicap wins at Chelmsford and Newmarket last October. She goes up 5lb for those victories but remains on a workable mark, and this step up to 1m2f looks tailor-made. Her pedigree screams middle-distance improvement, and good to firm ground will suit a filly with a clean, efficient action. Low mileage for a four-year-old means there is almost certainly more to come.

Rockin' The Boat deserves respect at 10/3. She ran a cracker fresh on return from eight months off at Southwell, finishing a clear second, and gets to run off the same mark here. The trip extension suits. But Naga's form level is higher and the Gosden-Doyle combination at this track is not one to take lightly.

Golden Muse is interesting for Marco Botti, going for a hat-trick, though two all-weather novices may not fully prepare her for handicap company on turf. File away for a handicap once she has this experience under her belt.

6:45 — M&D Foundations Piling Specialists Handicap (1m4f)

Selection: Al Azd (5/2, Bet365)

Roger Varian's gelding looks like a horse whose penny is dropping at exactly the right time. Three seconds over shorter trips were followed by a decisive late burst to beat Sailor Song at Southwell over 1m3f a fortnight ago, and the form of that race reads well given the runner-up lines up again tonight. Blinkers have sharpened him up mentally, and tonight's step to 1m4f on turf looks like another gear-change moment. Varian has been in decent nick with four winners from 16 runners over the past two weeks.

Sailor Song (11/4, Bet365) is the obvious danger. Charlie Appleby's operation rarely sends a horse to post without a plan, and Toby Moore retains the ride. He ran Al Azd close last time, the handicapper has given him a look in off the same marks, and cheekpieces are a new addition. The rematch is live. But Al Azd is the one who did the beating, and middle-distance turf appears to be his natural home.

Alba Gu Brath (9/2) is interesting if you forgive the hanging issues at Newcastle, but making up so much ground on trip and switching to turf all at once is asking plenty on handicap debut.

7:15 — Follow @attheraces On X Handicap (1m4f)

Selection: Charmaine (4/1, Bet365)

Sea Of Kings is the even-money favourite and James Doyle is a strong booking, but Harry Eustace has gone winless in six attempts over the past fortnight, and this filly gets the nod ahead of him. Charmaine resumed from a six-month break with a solid second at Wolverhampton three weeks ago, showing she is fit, well and ready to go. James Fanshawe has his yard in form at 4/18 in the last 14 days, and this mare has won twice around 1m4f on the all-weather, suggesting stamina is not an issue.

The move back to turf is the unknown, but a horse returning from a break in this kind of condition, trained by a handler who clearly has her cherry-ripe, deserves respect at the price. The non-runner The Cursor would have been a major player, so the field is more open than it looks.

Ghaiyya at 16/1 is not without appeal. Three wins at 1m4f last summer and she goes well fresh. But the question marks over her end-of-season form keep her off the shortlist for now.

Today's NAP