Our first two soft-ground specialists won at Doncaster - can we find another?

A 26mm deluge of rain through Thursday has eased conditions significantly at Doncaster for the two-day Vertem Futurity Trophy meeting, with the ground now soft, heavy in places on Town Moor.

Conditions are set to be testing and we've picked out some horses who may relish them today.

Dakota Gold

3.30 Doncaster, Vertem Leading The Field Handicap

The popular Dakota Gold is ground versatile, but he clearly thrives when the mud is flying with half of his 14 wins coming on soft ground.

Four of those wins on soft have also produced his top four career-best performances on Racing Post Ratings, with the top two coming in the Bengough Stakes and Rous Stakes in 2020.

He's been in good form this year and has strong Doncaster form too, having won the Wentworth Stakes on soft in 2020. He has a solid chance in the feature 6f handicap.
Matt Rennie, reporter

Dark Jedi

4.05 Doncaster, vertem.co.uk Handicap

Dark Jedi can be hard to win with but some of his form on soft ground in this company is well worth considering.

He won on soft at Hamilton in 2020 and finished runner-up by a neck here last year and in the 2020 Old Borough Cup, both on similar ground.
Matt Rennie, reporter

Ebony Maw

5.10 Doncaster, Think Smart At Vertem Handicap

Look out for Ebony Maw, for whom PJ McDonald is an eye-catching booking in the closing 1m2f handicap.

He has plenty of soft ground form and it was no coincidence that his two best efforts of 2022 have come in the mud. He's dropped 12lb in the handicap since the start of the season and could well take advantage with conditions in his favour.
David Carr, reporter

Red Derek

5.10 Doncaster, Think Smart At Vertem Handicap

Proven mudlark Red Derek ran a blinder when beaten a short-head by the well-handicapped Pentland Hills over 1m6f at Haydock last time.

The drop to 1m2f is partially offset by the testing ground and most of his best form has come at tracks with long straights.
Richard Birch, tipster

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