ITV Racing Tips: Could be a good afternoon for SDS

It's one of those landmark Saturdays - March 23 - in the racing calendar. The new Flat season comes roaring into view courtesy of the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster, which after over a hundred years taking place logically enough at Lincoln, has called 'Donny' its home since 1965.

ITV cameras are also at Newbury for some competitive jumping, and we've a bonus in the form of a decent hurdle race from Bangor, a smashing grass roots National Hunt course I've had the pleasure of visiting many times. If it's Lincoln time then the Aintree National can't be far behind - and that's the gateway to all manner of racing delights. Bring it on!

ITV menu, Saturday March 23

Doncaster

13:20 Doncaster Mile Stakes - 1m

13:50 EBF Brocklesby Stakes - 5f

14:25 Spring Mile Handicap - 1m

15:00 Cammidge Trophy - 6f

15:35 Lincoln Handicap - 1m

Newbury

14:10 Bet In-Play Bet Victor Novices' Handicap Hurdle - 2m 3f

14:40 BetVictor Handicap Chase - 2m 4f

15:15 EBF Novices' Handicap Final - 2m 4 1/2f

Bangor

13:30 Dragon Bet Handicap Hurdle - 2m 3 1/2f

Rationale

13:20 Doncaster - Charyn @ 11/4

Good to see Silvestre De Sousa aboard this Roger Varian-trained four-year-old Dark Angel colt.

Charyn has kept some very exalted company in his career so far, often getting a rear-end view of the mighty miler Paddington. Got to fancy him here in Listed company - indeed, unsurprisingly, he's the top-rated entrant.

The stable had a winner a few days ago at Wolves and if he's straight, he surely goes close. Has performed perfectly well on soft, which looks likely to be the case on Saturday.

13:30 Bangor - Uncle Bert @ 4/1

Fairly testing conditions are expected at Bangor, and in such circumstances it's not hard to gravitate towards a Nigel Twiston-Davies inmate.

Uncle Bert won a Class 3 at this trip 23 days ago at Wetherby (soft). Previous to that he'd run well at Chepstow in heavy ground. Last time was a career-best, and the stable are among the winners right now.

At seven he's probably not hiding much from the handicapper but connections feel this step up to a Class 2 is appropriate. He's up 4lb for that success, and again claimer James Turner (7), who gets on with him so well, is doing the steering.

13:50 Doncaster - Roysdelight @ 5/1

The Brocklesby - a traditional early two-year-old test associated with Donny's opening meeting.

A man who can certainly fine-tune a juvenile is Dave Evans, and he saddles Roysdelight. No form to go on here with this unraced field, but when you marry Dave's abilities with that of the man on top, Rossa Ryan, the signals I'm getting are definitely on the positive side.

Ryan is already a Group One-winning pilot, but the way he's dominated the all-weather scene this winter marks him out as someone who is heading for the very top of his profession - and he's close enough already.

If Dave's got a speedy, sharp type for this who better than Rossa to be pushing the buttons. Drawn 13, but hard to know which side might hold sway. If they make for the near rail, he's decently-placed. Fascinating, as always.

14:10 Newbury - Kartoon And Co each-way @ 8/1

Doesn't take much to fancy siding with a Skelton hound at present, and here's a promising four-year-old who's shown plenty of ability in his four career starts so far.

Kartoon And Co as a younger horse gets plenty of weight from the likely favourites. As a French-bred, this relative precociousness isn't a surprise, and his fortitude was proven at Sandown a fortnight ago, keeping on well on soft ground up that challenging hill, to be placed.

He's a sporting each-way shout for me in Berkshire, for his in-form team still glowing from their Cheltenham successes.

14:25 Doncaster - Dirtyoldtown each-way @ 10/1

The Spring Mile - a Class 2 handicap test.

Some of these have been kept busy on the all-weather, and others reappear after a nice winter break. Dirtyoldtown is in the latter camp, having last been seen at Newmarket in November.

There the five-year-old No Nay Never gelding took a heavy-ground Class 4 in some style, and steps up markedly today. He's run both well and badly on Town Moor before, but to very small each-way stakes he can perhaps give us a run for our pennies.

Rhys Clutterbuck rides for trainer Dylan Cunha, and the pair had some joy on Friday at Lingfield.

14:40 Newbury - Heltenham @ 7/4

The magnetic lure of Team Skelton has reeled me in again.

Impressive winner here of the Greatwood Gold Cup last time, three weeks ago. Heltenham is up 6lb for that success but carries what looks like a nice racing weight of 11st 1lb, given the presence of Paul Nicholls' Solo, rated 149 and burdened with the steadier of 12st.

No reason whatsoever in my view to desert Heltenham here and let's hope this is a cracking day for Dan and Harry.

15:00 Doncaster - Marshman @ 10/3

Another early-season staple, the Cammidge Trophy, a Listed 6f contest.

I'm going for a Karl Burke/Cliff Lee flyer in the shape of Marshman. He's been very highly-tried in his career so far and it's August 2022 since he was involved in a heat that WASN'T a Group race.

The Harry Angel four-year-old can handle cut in the ground and seems at ease with both 5f and 6f. He's joint top-rated on 108 and will appreciate the slightly less exalted company.

15:15 Newbury - Smiling Getaway each-way @ 13/2

I'm siding with the Twiston-Davies team again with their lightly-raced seven-year-old Getaway mare. A very difficult event to be dogmatic about, and my each-way play will be very modest.

Smiling Getaway scored nicely at Warwick in January then didn't really get into the race when raised in class at Sandown. Perhaps he likes going left-handed better, which will suit nicely today. In any event on what she's achieved so far she deserves a shot at this £28k pot.

15:35 Doncaster - Johan each-way @ 9/1

The Lincoln - a historic Class 2 test over a straight mile.

Now and then we get a Group-class lurker who announces themselves in this race, but I'm not sure we've any of those this time around (famous last words). I'm rowing in with Jack Channon's Johan, again partnered by Silvestre De Sousa.

The brilliant Brazilian rode plenty of winners for Jack's Dad Mick, and he's ridden the horse on a couple of previous occasions. The seven-year-old began life with William Haggas before joining the Channons in January 2022.

He's a course-and-distance winner with lots of talent - the son of Zoffany won Goodwood's Golden Mile in August and as we're five places each-way that is most assuredly the way I'm leaning.

Have a cracking afternoon's sport, and if you're playing, good luck.

ITV Racing tips from Betfred Insights.