Hi all,

In today's main piece, you'll find my first flat eyecatchers of the new season.

Anticipate a Spectacle

The upcoming five and a half weeks promise an exhilarating feast for horse racing enthusiasts across both codes of the sport. It all kicks off this weekend.

Good Friday brings us the All-Weather Finals Day at Newcastle, followed by an enticing evening of racing at Meydan for World Cup Night on Saturday. Additionally, Saturday marks the beginning of Fairyhouse's Easter Festival. While it may not rival Cheltenham or Punchestown, it offers three days of top-quality racing, culminating in the Irish Grand National on Easter Monday.

From April 11th to 13th, Aintree hosts its Grand National Festival. While some Graded races may have modest field sizes, the presence of races over the National fences on all three days, including the iconic Grand National itself, ensures excitement.

Shortly after Aintree, Newmarket's Craven Meeting kicks off, featuring the first of the Classic Trials. Simultaneously, Cheltenham hosts a two-day meeting.

The following week brings a flurry of action, with the Scottish Grand National at Ayr and Newbury's Greenham Meeting, which boasts its own Classic Trials.

April draws to a close with a two-day meeting at Sandown, featuring Group races on the flat on Friday and the finale of the British jumps season, highlighted by the bet365 Gold Cup on Saturday.

On Tuesday, April 30th, the Punchestown Festival commences, followed by the start of Newmarket's Guineas meeting on the Friday of that week.

Not sure about you but I can’t wait.

Future Winners

I’m switching from the jumps to the flat this week for my Tuesday future winners segment.

I mentioned in Monday’s column that there was a strong head wind at Doncaster on Saturday. This week it’s a simple case of looking back at the Doncaster replays which can be found here and look for horses that were out in front in the teeth of the headwind.

Doncaster

It's worth noting that the going at Doncaster on Sunday was officially described as soft. However, while the round course exhibited soft conditions, the straight track on times leaned more towards good to soft.

Charyn the winner of Saturday’s Listed Doncaster Mile looked to have improved tremendously from three to four. He’s clearly effective on testing ground and I wouldn’t rule him out of Newbury’s Group 1 Lockinge Stakes.

Baradar ran like the run was needed in when 5^th of 7 in Saturday’s Cammidge Trophy.  I believe the 6-year-old has the potential to clinch another valuable handicap pot, particularly over 7 furlongs or perhaps in a strongly run 6 furlongs race on a demanding track, this season. His performance in the Cammidge Trophy hasn't deterred me from this belief.

I mentioned the good run of Lattam in the Lincoln Handicap. However, he did get plenty of cover and had his favoured soft ground conditions. That’s not to say that he can’t win a decent pot whilst he had his optimum underfoot conditions.

Here are two horses from Doncaster who ran better than their final finishing positions suggest.

Clear Angel

Clear Angel, trained by Susan Corbett, finished sixth in last year’s Spring Mile Handicap, and ran even better in this year’s race when a 2 ¾ length 4^th of 18 to Look Back Smiling.  He might have gone close if he had got a clearer passage between the final two furlongs. Last year Clear Angel went onto win his next two starts after Doncaster and the 6-year-old looks handicapped to win again.

Another to note from the race is Harswell Duke. He was ridden too aggressively from the front to secure victory in the Spring Mile for a second consecutive year. However, leading the pack didn't prove advantageous this time around. Harswell Duke is below his last winning mark and when the stable is form again can win on soft or heavy ground.

Thunder Ball

Thunder Ball is a good example of a horse that ran up with the pace on Saturday and into the head wind. The 4-year-old travelled well through the race and did best of those ridden prominently when an 8 ¼ length 7^th of 20 in the Lincoln Handicap. Given that this was his first start in five months, it's possible that he needed this race to regain full fitness. Thunder Ball emerges as one to keep an eye on in these competitive mile handicaps throughout the season.

Two to Note on Tuesday

Here are a couple to note on Tuesday from Southwell & Taunton.

Southwell

6:45 – Dawn Of Liberation shaped with promise on his first start for Ruth Carr when a 1 ¼ length 3^rd of 6 at Newcastle 13 days ago. The 5-year-old takes a slight drop in class here and is on a handy mark.

Taunton

4:20 – Jeremy Scottsaddled two winners at Exeter on Monday, and he could be set for another win with Celtic Art. The 7-year-old was back to formwhen a 4 length 3rd of 9 over C&D last month. Better ground suits him and he can go close.

Good luck with your Tuesday bets.

John