3.15 Doncaster: 'It's a competitive race and Xcitations looks the one to beat'

This is a fiercely competitive handicap chase in which the novice Saint Segal was somewhat surprisingly installed as quite a warm favourite on the first show.

The Jane Williams-trained five-year-old is 2-2 since switching to fences and has done it well both times, but he is up 8lb in a much better race against plenty of seasoned performers, many of whom are also in cracking form.

Donald McCain's Mackenburg, for instance, is 5-5 over fences and won over 2m3f here when last seen in November. He made a bit of a mess of the fourth- and third-last that day, but got the final pair right and won with something up his sleeve so a 4lb rise looks fair.

Then we have Xcitations, who is not unbeaten over fences but is 4-4 over them over 2m, and ran right away from what looked a competitive field at Sandown on Tolworth Hurdle day. The ground was soft then and he's gone up a further 7lb, but the time before he just edged out Elixir De Nutz over this course and distance with the pair almost a fence clear and the runner-up bolted up next time.

Malystic comes here after landing the Castleford last time, while time has told us that Before Midnight was really up against it when third trying to concede 6lb to subsequent Grade 2 novice winner Boothill at Ascot.

Plenty of these like to race prominently, so this should be run at a good pace, but even so you wouldn't rule out a return to form from Rouge Vif from the front. He has not shown much in two starts over hurdles since returning to Harry Whittington from Paul Nicholls, but was borderline top-class on his day (third in an Arkle and a Tingle Creek), is 24lb lower than his peak rating over fences and 9lb lower than when he last ran over them for Nicholls.
Race analysis by Paul Kealy

What they say

Peter Niven, trainer of Malystic
He won well at Wetherby over Christmas and there are very few races for him off his rating but providing it’s not too quick he should run well. It’s a competitive race as you would expect for the prize-money and Xcitations looks the one to beat.

Sam Twiston Davies, rider of Before Midnight
He was second in the race last year and should love the good ground. He’s been a fantastic horse over the years and I’m looking forward to getting back on him.

Pam Sly, trainer of Xcitations
We’ve only been able to canter our horses for the first time this morning as we’ve been iced up so we’ll have to see how we go. He’s a big heavy horse but should be okay and I don’t expect him to be far away as he likes it around Town Moor.

Jonjo O’Neill, trainer of Prince Escalus
He ran a bit better when fourth at Ludlow last time and would have a small each-way chance in what looks a hot race as you would expect for the money they’ve put on.

Jamie Snowden, trainer of Soldier Of Destiny
He had a wind operation at this time last year and went on to win two nice races in the spring so we’ve tweaked it again to see if the trick will work twice. He fell first time over fences this year so we gave him a spin over hurdles last time to give him a boost and we’re putting the blinkers back on to sharpen him up.

Jane Williams, trainer of Saint Segal
He’s a fabulous horse and goes there with a leading chance but I’m worried about the ground for him as there is talk of them watering. We’ll have a look at the track before we decide whether he takes part.
Reporting by David Milnes 

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