Doncaster Racing Tips: Tomfre will relish conditions

NAP: A revival for Came From The Dark

Came From The Dark - 16:10 Doncaster

Came From The Dark hasn't been at his best so far this season, but he is a smart sprinter on his day, and is weighted to strike now back in a handicap.

His last win in a handicap came from a 1 lb lower mark and he proved better than ever when winning the Charge at Sandown last year. Came From The Dark went with a bit more verve on his first run since undergoing a second breathing operation in a listed event at Ascot last time and he is entitled to be competitive with that under his belt under conditions which won't be a problem.

NEXT BEST: Ground has come right for Tomfre

Tomfre - 13:20 Doncaster

Tomfre is on a lengthy losing run, but he is a very capable horse when the mud is flying, and he will relish the forecast ground at Doncaster.

He can boast a good record at this track, his last two victories coming over this course and distance, including in this race two years ago from an 11 lb higher mark. Timeform described the ground as soft and heavy on both of those occasions and the ground really does seem to be the key to him. Tomfre is clearly well treated and he can dispel a below-par effort at Ascot now.

EACH WAY: Back O'Brien second string

Salt Lake City - 15:35 Doncaster

Aidan O'Brien once again has the favourite in the Vertem Futurity in Auguste Rodin, who is also ante-post favourite for the Derby next year. However, he looks skinny enough with the ground set to be very testing, and there could be some value in siding with stablemate Salt Lake City.

He finished runner-up to subsequent National Stakes winner Al Riffa on debut and was well fancied for the Convivial maiden at York where for one reason or another he failed to fire. Salt Lake City quickly left that effort behind when given a no-nonsense ride to open his account in soft ground at Navan earlier this month and he is entitled to progress again. This is clearly a much stiffer test but it would be folly to ignore his claims.