Friday Racing Tips: Regally bred Doha the NAP at Haydock

Mark Milligan's best bet runs at Haydock on Friday

Mark Milligan has three selections on Friday, including a confident NAP on Haydock's card...

  • Handicap debutante can go well at Goodwood

  • Bin Suroor/Murphy team to strike

  • Doha could be a handicap snip


15:00 Goodwood - Back Juana Ines @ 5/16.00+

This an interesting three-year-old fillies handicap and it could well be dominated by the lightly-raced pair Juana Ines and Ya Hafhd, both of whom look open to plenty of progression.

Roger Varian's Ya Hafhd got off the mark at the second attempt when taking a novice contest at Southwell in December and was all the rage in the betting on handicap debut when reappearing at Doncaster last month.

She ran okay there but couldn't justify odds-on favouritism, finishing second to Turner Girl and should come on for that outing.

However, I prefer the claims of Harry Charlton's Juana Ines, who won on her second start when trained in France and made a highly encouraging debut for her new yard when third at Ascot in October.

This daughter of Lope De Vega shaped like a good middle-distance prospect there and hardly looks overburdened on handicap debut from an opening mark of 84.

The booking of champion jockey William Buick only adds to the appeal.


16:10 Goodwood - Back Wild Tiger @ 9/43.25+

There are plenty of exposed types in his class 3 handicap, but Godolphin's Wild Tiger is an obvious exception, and he looks worth backing to follow up his recent Yarmouth win.

Making just his fourth start there, he justified strong support in the market with a convincing success, travelling really well before asserting inside the final 1f.

He'd previously made the frame twice in Meydan handicaps having returned from an extended layoff and there's every chance this five-year-old can find further improvement on just his fifth career start.

Oisin Murphy takes the ride for Saeed bin Suroor and this duo have a 26% strike-rate when teaming up.

Be Frank could well emerge as the biggest threat, and he's relatively unexposed himself compared to plenty of these, though whether he can progress as much as the selection remains to be seen.


16:55 Haydock - Back Doha @ 6/42.50+

There won't be a better-bred filly on show all day than Doha in this class 4 handicap, being by Sea The Stars out the mighty mare Treve.

I'm sure when connections bred this one they'll have had much loftier aspirations for her and she could well be a handicap snip off a mark of just 82.

It took her a couple of runs to figure out the game last season but when it did all come together she absolutely bolted up in the mud at Windsor in October, form that was franked several times by some of the beaten horses.

It goes without saying that the assessor could have made a big rick in letting Doha into her first handicap from a mark in the low 80s, particularly bearing in mind that regal pedigree.

I'm really confident Doha will get the job done and she rates NAP material.


Now read more Horse Racing tips and previews


Racing... Only Bettor - Listen here!

Betfair Betting Podcast · "At 20/1, he's a big old price now'' | Racing...Only Bettor

Recommended bets

15:00 Goodwood – Back Juana Ines @ 5/16.00+

16:10 Goodwood – Back Wild Tiger @ 9/43.25+

16:55 Haydock – Back Doha @ 6/42.50+

Mark Milligan

Mark Milligan is a Senior Horse Racing Analyst with Timeform Sporting Life and has been contributing to Betting.Betfair since 2021.

Discover the latest articles