Doncaster free racing tips: Two course-distance winners target wide-open handicap sprint

14:05 Doncaster: Join Century Racing Club Today Handicap (5 furlongs)

In a wide-open market, a good-value bet appears to be Venture Capital, who was impressive in scoring over this course and distance two outings ago in September, when he took an 11-runner 0-95 handicap by an easy 1½ lengths.

That race took place on good ground, but he has since run equally well in finishing third of 12 in a Class 2 at Ascot where the ground was soft.

He has really hit form over his last four runs, in which he has recorded figures of 1213 over five and six furlongs in varying conditions, so he is clearly a very versatile performer.

Best Bet: Venture Capital each-way in the 14:05 at Doncaster

He went from the front for both his wins so far this year, but he doesn’t need to lead, although he will certainly be right in the thick of the early action providing he gets away as well as he normally does.

Shane Gray is certainly the right jockey for the job because he has been in the saddle for all four of venture Capital’s wins, bringing their joint figures between five and seven furlongs to 311113.

His top two career performances have come on his last two outings, so he is still very much on the up, and off an unchanged mark, he has a very good chance of repeating last month’s course distance win here, and his draw towards the centre means that Gray can choose the area of the track on which he wants to race.

Elsewhere, Aberama Gold won this race last year off a mark of 96 on testing ground, so he has to be of interest back here off a mark of just 85.

He hasn’t won in 16 attempts since that effort, but he has had plenty of near misses, including missing the places by less than a length in a Class 2 at Catterick, where track is sharper than he would like over this trip.

A return to this venue for the first time since last year gives him a real chance of defending his crown off a much lower mark, although he would probably prefer heavier ground than the drying forecast might provide.

Next Best Bet: Aberama Gold each-way in the 14:05 at Doncaster

• Preview and tips provided Steve Jones, who runs CD Systems Daily Bargain on Tipstrr