Doncaster Tips: Virginia Lodge can bring it home on Friday

Doncaster are set to stage their two-day Countdown To Christmas Meeting on Friday and Saturday and there's some quality fare in store on Town Moor.

Friday's seven-race card runs from 11:45-15:10 and will be on ground described as 'Good-good to soft in places' – though the course must survive a precautionary raceday inspection at 07:30 on Friday morning.

We've picked out a trio of runners to consider at Doncaster, including last-time-out hurdles winner Heritier as he once more turns his attention to chasing.

12:17 - Heritier @ 13/8

The second race on the Doncaster card is the ICD UK Members Handicap Chase over an extended two-miles and it should offer a really good chance for recent hurdles scorer Hertier to oblige again back over the larger obstacles.

The Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero-trained six-year-old looked in need of the run on his comeback at Carlisle (2m4f, good to soft) in October, though it could have been the case he didn't quite see that trip out.

He switched to hurdles at Uttoxeter (2m, heavy) next time and came home clear to win by six-lengths with Henry Brooke back on board for the first time in a couple of years.

They are back up to a mark of 105 here, but Heritier has won from higher marks than this in his trio of previous chasing successes.

He meets eight rivals here and, with the exception of class-dropping Out On The Tear for Sam Allwood and Charlie Todd, most of them are searching for form. Track, trip and ground appear ideal for Heritier and this races looks very winnable.

14:00 - Virginia Lodge @ 2/1

Dan Skelton's filly Virginia Lodge takes on the geldings off level weights in the Kelly's Ice Cream Junior "National Hunt" Hurdle courtesy of her win at Fakenham 10 days ago.

She was a 25/1 poke on her debut at Ludlow (2m, good) in October and ran as such, finishing 10th of 11, but it was a different story at Fakenham last time.

Fergus Gillard took over in the saddle there and had the Berkshire filly handy throughout. She jumped well, moved clear at the second last and won by a comfortable 11-lengths in the end.

She had a trio of runners from respected yards well held in behind, including one with previous form in the book, and looked a useful prospect.

The Ben Brookhouse-trained Hereford winner Summer Night City is penalised for beating one other rival home in that contest five weeks ago and with Gillard again claiming 3lb, his filly can double her tally.

14:35 - William Ewart @ 3/1

Henry Daly's Rockinastorm will draw attention racing off the same mark as when he won at Warwick over a similar trip to this 23 days ago. The six-year-old was, though, making no impression on the leader Hurlerontheditch when that one stumbled and came down at the last obstacle.

Preference therefore goes to William Ewart for trainer Christian Williams.

A modest hurdler, he improved for the step up in trip last season, winning at Bangor in March and going close at Stratford the following month.

His jumping held him back on his first two chase starts either side of summer break but he was a good second at Wincanton in October behind well-handicapped winner Boston Joe over a trip that was inadequate.

He's been eased 1lb for that and his in-form pilot Kielan Woods is taking over now. They receive more than a stone from Rockinastorm here and that could be telling.