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Doncaster Races Preview for 24 January – Great Yorkshire Chase Card with Two Grade 2s on Town Moor

22 January 2026
Michael Lee
Michael Lee
Michael Lee
Betting Expert
Michael has worked in the sports betting industry for many years. Following football, horse racing and track and field athletics, he has covered the last three Olympic Games, World Cups and other major sporting events.
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Doncaster races preview for 24 January includes Docpickedme

The Great Yorkshire Chase card at Doncaster races is the best day of jumps action from Town Moor throughout the National Hunt season. This year’s edition comes to us in Yorkshire on Saturday, 24 January with two Grade 2 contests supporting the feature Premier Handicap.

Everything kicks off in the White Rose county with a Listed juvenile hurdle for three-year-old fillies. Following on from that, it’s the River Don Novices’ Hurdle, which acts as a trial for the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham. The Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle is the other Grade 2 on the card where females test their stamina on Town Moor.

After the main event at Doncaster races, there are a couple more handicap chases and a bumper (or National Hunt Flat race) to round off the day. It leaves plenty for those taking a punt with online horse racing bookies to ponder, that’s for sure. We turn to our experts for their thoughts on the first six races on the card here.

Their knowledge of the form book and past performances, both on Town Moor and similar tracks across the British Isles, helps readers make informed decisions about the races taking place in Yorkshire. Read on to discover our experts’ Saturday selections and fancies, plus the reasons behind runners making the shortlists below…

Doncaster Races Preview for Saturday, 24 January

12:20 – Listed 2m 128y Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle

Robcour silks A deep race, but Irish raider HIGHLAND CRYSTAL can follow-up on a nice Newbury win Gordon Elliott and owners Robcour. She has the advantage of race fitness on her side taking on Nicky Henderson French import and main market rival Manlaga here. Jordan Gainford comes over to maintain their partnership as connections shuffle their deck.

Rather than stepping Highland Crystal into an open juvenile like owner-stable companion Mange Tout could well do at the Dublin Racing Festival next week, there’s a more cautious approach here. If she can defy a penalty here, then something like the Grade 1 Anniversary at around Aintree beckons on the spring for her.

Even off 5lb worse terms, there’s no reason why Highland Crystal shouldn’t confirm form with Dan Skelton’s Tralee Girl here. Hitting the frame again may be all she can hope for against the big guns. Manganese has done nothing wrong for Max Comley, but this demands a lot more than lower class victories at Leicester and Catterick.

12:55 – 3m 84y Grade 2 River Don Novices’ Hurdle

Thedeviluno silks The biggest field of the day at Doncaster races, but hard to rule out many. Albert Bartlett Trial winner Carlenrig concedes 5lb all-round, so that makes life tougher for him. Old rival Rocking Man is 2lb better off with the Skelton horse from their Chepstow encounter, so could well confirm the placings for in-form trainer Sam Thomas.

Official figures favour Paul Nolan’s THEDEVILUNO, who beat subsequent Grade 1 scorer Skylight Hustle around Gowran Park before a keeping on second in the Navan Novice Hurdle last time. It’s interesting that connections declare him here when he has an entry during the Dublin Racing Festival over 2m 6f. Thedeviluno looked all stamina at Navan and might well be able to make a successful raid here.

Dual Leicester winner Kicour La could be popular with punters as Ben Pauling enjoys a fine season and has three previous wins in the River Don. For the locals, course winner Get On George represents the Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith stable who have also done so well of late. Ruth Jefferson landed this two years ago, and there’s definite each-way value in Kelso victor Country Code.

Of the others, The Price Of Peace didn’t seem to beat a great deal at long odds-on around Chepstow on home turf for Rebecca Curtis last time. Anthony Honeyball does well in these longer distance races, meanwhile, so it’s difficult to rule out further improvement from Fountains Blenheim here. The others have less to recommend them at this stage.

1:30 – 3m 84y Grade 2 Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle

Lavida Adiva silks Very surprising not to find Nurse Susan among final declarations here as this could’ve been a nice prep in calmer waters for the grade than the Cleeve Hurdle (where she doesn’t run either) en route to the Coral Cup. In her absence, Jefferson might have another each-way player at Doncaster races in course and distance winner LAVIDA ADIVA. Her last two wins have come on relatively flat, left-handed tracks.

There’s a strong Irish challenge against Lavida Adiva, but also no substitute for experience of Town Moor. Jetara has that for Jessica Harrington, but she hasn’t been in the same form this season as when just holding on here 12 months ago. Greater threats may emerge from Kerrymount Mares Hurdle second and third Feet Of A Dancer and Dream On Baby.

Both have stamina to prove for Nolan and Emmet Mullins respectively. That’ll Do Moss doesn’t have a penalty for landing last season’s Jane Seymour around Sandown in this grade, which means she might be let in light. Fergal O’Brien tries the longer trip with her for the first time now. As for the other three, they need career bests to get anywhere near the frame.

2:05 – 2m 7f 214y Great Yorkshire Chase (Premier Handicap)

King's Threshold silks Last year’s winner Docpickedme goes really well at Doncaster races and, off just 2lb higher, could land the spoils again. Christian Williams runner Deep Cave is up 6lb for victories around Bangor and Ascot, so may land his hat-trick despite topweight. Grand Geste has a 10lb hike for making all in the Tommy Whittle, but saw his Carlisle form franked by The Jukebox Kid last Saturday.

All of this are credible contenders towards the head of the market. It’s horses aged nine and 10 that have the best recent record, though, so as well as ticking yet another box for Docpickedme, KING’S THRESHOLD should also be there or thereabouts for Emma Lavelle despite a 6lb rise for landing the Mandarin around Newbury. The third home on his last two starts has come out and won since.

King’s Threshold is all-stamina thanks to the staying power of sire Yeats. Of the others, Dartmoor Pirate is interesting for Honeyball, but so is Charlie Longsdon’s New Order off the same mark of 125. He perhaps hasn’t quite got home on uphill finishes at Sandown and Cheltenham, but the flatter topography of the Town Moor home straight might suit him better.

2:38 – 2m 7f 214y Class 3 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (0-130)

Those towards the head of the market on online betting sites at Doncaster races aren’t the most reliable bunch. Noble Park struggled around Kempton and wasn’t screaming he wanted further either over Christmas. Curtis brings Newton Tornado to Town Moor off a chasing career to date that contains a fall, win and pulling up. Paddy O’Mahler is up 10lb for consecutive wins around Newcastle and Haydock.

A hat-trick could beckon for Parkinson & Smith, but course and distance runner-up KI WOO looks a good each-way bet here. Trained by Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero, he’s the youngest in the line-up aged six. He bumped into Doncaster regular Some Scope in an open handicap at this level, conceding 5lb to him. Ki Woo kept on into second nicely, so back against fellow novices, he might be the value.

The fourth home has won since. Ki Woo is also almost an entire stone (13lb) better off with Newton Tornado from their previous Bangor battle. He may be improving with every run, rather than erratic profile of that one. Chasingouttheblues put everything together with a strong staying performance at Wetherby for Mark Walford last time, but now has 3lb more on his back.

Pauling saddles As Legends Have It for just the third time over fences, meanwhile. He arrives at Town Moor on the back of a fall four out in the Wetherby race won by Chasingouttheblues. It was too early to say what would’ve happened at the other end of the home straight. Harsh and Pounding Poet don’t make any appeal.

3:13 – 2m 78y Class 2 Handicap Chase (0-150)

Good And Clever silks MIGHTY BANDIT is 5lb higher to follow-up at Doncaster race for Warren Greatrex on his Newbury victory, which has worked out very well. The runner-up, Highlands Legacy, and fourth home, Torneo, fought out the finish to the Great Park Handicap Chase around Windsor on Sunday. Splitting them was subsequent wide-margin Kempton scorer Lookaway. The form of his chasing debut has also worked out well.

There’s no doubt that Mighty Bandit is the right favourite, but he’s so well-found by the market that some punters will feel he’s too short. The problem is the alternatives all have some issues. Topweight Brookie split subsequent winners Calico and Traprain Law when third at Cheltenham in the autumn, but has only been dropped 1lb by the assessor and isn’t the only iron in the fire for Honeyball here.

Gabriel’s Getaway won this two years ago and, if first-time blinkers have the desired effect, he could go well here with the handicapper relenting with a 3lb ease in the weights. JP McManus has three runners for as many different yards randomly. Petit Tonnerre took this 12 months ago, but also landed a Listed handicap during the Punchestown Festival that puts him 11lb higher in this repeat bid.

The market prefers Milan Tino, yet Tom George’s charge is 1lb out of the handicap despite a 4lb rise for Ludlow success. Donald McCain has eked a couple of wins out of Grain d’Oudairies this season, but he’s gone up 10lb for those. The latest of those came over two-and-a-half miles. Skelton runs the tricky Harper’s Brook, while Dylan Cunha drops Here Come Georgie back in distance.

Michael Lee
Michael Lee
Betting Expert
Michael Lee
Betting Expert

Michael has worked in the sports betting industry for many years. Following football, horse racing and track and field athletics, he has covered the last three Olympic Games, World Cups and other major sporting events.

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