Doncaster Saturday night tips plus full Saturday preview

Dutch Connection can reverse recent form with Toormore and mark himself as an older horse on the up by winning the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
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The four-year-old has been thereabouts at Group One level since his juvenile days, chasing home Gleneagles in the National Stakes on his final start of 2014.

He fell short in Classic company last term when only seventh in the Guineas, but his subsequent Jersey Stakes triumph over seven furlongs showed that he remained an animal of real potential.

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His second to Territories in the Jean Prat admirably demonstrated that he is not just a seven-furlong specialist and his second in the Lennox at Goodwood suggested that perhaps that trip was becoming a bit too sharp as he got a little older.

Charlie Hills made the bold decision to send Dutch Connection to Keeneland for the Shadwell Turf Mile but he never looked comfortable there and it is best to draw a line under that run.

Returned to action at Sandown last month, Toormore proved a neck too good, despite conceding 3lb, but he had certainly seen action much more recently than Dutch Connection and on slightly testing ground, Hills’ runner was likely outstayed.

He can be expected to make plenty of progress for that outing and while the Newbury ground might not be ideal, Dutch Connection has shown he can handle a bit of ease and the fact Godolphin felt compelled to buy him earlier this week suggests plenty more is expected in the future.

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Prince Of Arran can bring up his hat-trick in the Al Zubarah London Gold Cup. He did not always look straight forward last year, but the application of a visor at Kempton last November did the trick as he won there and on his reappearance this season.

* Selections:

Doncaster: 5.45 Dry Your Eyes, 6.15 Najd, 6.45 Seebring, 7.15 Bright Flash, 7.45 Symbolic, 8.15 Point North, 8.45 Saeedan.

Newbury: 2.10 Mehmas, 2.45 Star Storm, 3.20 Taneen, 3.55 DUTCH CONNECTION (NAP), 4.30 Prince Of Arran, 5.05 Southern Stars, 5.35 Gabrial’s Kaka.

Newmarket: 1.50 Ghalib, 2.25 Torch, 3.00 Intense Tango, 3.35 Race Day, 4.10 Suqoor, 4.45 Batts Rock, 5.15 Top Boy.

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Thirsk: 1.45 Frozen Kiss, 2.15 Ponty Royale, 2.50 Taysh, 3.25 Trinity Star, 4.00 Fast Track, 4.35 Alpha Delphini, 5.10 Jethro, 5.40 Pearl Acclaim.

Bangor: 1.55 Mazovian, 2.30 Nicolas Chauvin, 3.05 Megabucks, 3.40 Hindon Road, 4.15 Cornborough, 4.50 Mist The Boat, 5.20 Sue Be It.

Uttoexter: 5.30 Midnight Tour, 6.00 Miss Tiger Lily, 6.30 Cloudy Copper, 7.00 Zayfire Aramis, 7.30 Little Buxted, 8.00 Bring Back Charlie, 8.30 Savoy Court.

Double: Dutch Connection and Prince Of Arran.