Doncaster Placepot picks: Paul Kealy's perm for the £150,000 pool on the Flat season opener

There is £150,000 guaranteed up for the grabs in the Doncaster Placepot but it won't be easy with a competitive seven-runner race to start, a 15-runner Brocklesby full of unraced juveniles and two big-field handicaps.

The opener (1.20) is tough enough but the fact Holloway Boy, who clearly had his troubles last season, is out so early this year is a good sign and his stable is in cracking form. The back-up is Charyn, who largely took on the best last season and ran with credit nearly every time.

There's lots of guesswork involved with the Brocklesby (1.50), but for what it's worth I came down on the side of Roysdelight, Indication Ember and Dukes Of Haather.

It will be three again in the next (2.25) with main fancy Look Back Smiling joined by fellow mudlark Thunder Roar and the lightly raced Helter Skelter, whose best form in Ireland came on deep ground.

The Cammidge (3.00) is another annoyingly open seven-runner contest, but Baradar likes it here and surely has the speed for the trip, while Montassib was rediscovered as a sprinter last season and may have more to add after his Coral Sprint Trophy win.

My main two in the Lincoln (3.35) are The Gatekeeper and Thunder Ball.

There's yet another seven-runner race to finish (4.10) and it's not that easy despite being a maiden as there are a few interesting sorts in it.

The first vote has to go to Harper's Ferry, though, as he has comfortably the best form on offer on Racing Post Ratings and he handled soft ground well when second at Newmarket in October. His Oaks-winning dam liked a bit of cut.

The other one is King's Reign. He's out of a heavy-ground-winning mare and was too green – and hit the ground pretty hard – when fourth as the 2-1 favourite at Wolverhampton last month. This switch to easy turf will surely suit.

Doncaster Placepot perm

1.20
2 Charyn
4 Holloway Bay

1.50
4 Dukes Of Haather
9 Roysdelight
12 Indication Ember

2.25
2 Look Back Smiling
7 Thunder Roar
16 Helter Skelter

3.00
1 Baradar
3 Montassib

3.35
5 Thunder Ball
6 The Gatekeeper

4.10
3 Harper's Ferry
4 King's Reign

2x3x3x2x2x2 = 144 lines

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