Saturday's Horse Racing Tips: James Boyle's Best Bets At Doncaster

For today's horse racing tips, our analyst James Boyle looks at the flat racing at Doncaster, with three selections now online.

As always, you’ll find the most up-to-date odds at the best horse racing betting sites, but our tipster’s predictions are researched early in the day and those prices could soon be moved in by the betting public. Odds stated are correct at the time of publishing.

Running P/L for the 2025 Flat Season - 284.00pts staked, 283.76pts returned; -0.24pts.

11:37 Doncaster – It Just Takes Time – 1pt @ 7/1

It Just Takes Time is a tough horse to pass when he’s in form and on ground that will put an emphasis on desire as much as ability, it could be worth backing him. He’s certainly in fine order anyway, as shown when making all of the running to score at Beverley six weeks ago.

Things panned out nicely on that occasion but he then jumped up in grade at Leicester and ran equally as well, albeit in defeat. He finished third there, just losing second on the line, and the race has already thrown up a couple of winners from horses who were even further back.

There’s no shortage of Doncaster form on his slate, including when winning a division of this race last season on testing ground. He has the same mark for the repeat attempt and whilst it’s a bigger field, he’ll battle away from a prominent sit. Hopefully nothing will get by him late on!

13:25 Doncaster – Vadream – 1pt @ 20/1

Vadream is a long way removed from her best level but shaped with more promise than the bare result suggested when fifth in a Newmarket Listed race last month. She wasn’t going to trouble the winner, who got loose at the front, but never had a chance to open up properly.

The ground would have been livelier than she’d care for and the main hope I have is that she’s back at Doncaster on a testing surface. She bolted up in the 2023 Cammidge Trophy over C&D on heavy, her sole visit here, and the course and ground combination could wake her up again.

At the backend of last season, she wasn’t far off Montassib in the Sprint Cup at Haydock and later ran well behind Apollo One in an Ascot Group 3. On more recent figures, she shouldn’t have a chance, but this may be the most suitable assignment she has had this term.

14:35 Doncaster – Akkadian Thunder – 1pt @ 12/1

Akkadian Thunder runs Doncaster well and I thought he’d do a bit better over C&D a couple of weeks ago. The market expected the same as he was punted into 3/1 favouritism but he raced more towards the middle of the track and that may have limited what he was able to show.

This time around, he’s drawn in gate 22 of 22 and if being closer to the near rail proves to be the spot you want when the going gets tough, he’ll have no issue this time. A visor is in use for the first time as well and whilst it’s a guess as to how he’ll take to it, it could help.

The race looks like a Wathnan benefit if the market is to be believed and it’s easy to make claims for that trio, but I think the 12/1 on offer about Akkadian Thunder is more than fair. The handicapper is giving him every chance and if the headgear does work, he won’t be far away.