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Spadestep can build on promising chasing debut
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Docpickedme to launch another bold bid at Doncaster
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Lessay deserves credit for recent Wolverhampton win
Doncaster, 12:55 - 'Horse In Focus' Spadestep has more to offer
Winning pointer Spadestep, a half-brother to the very smart Tommy's Oscar, was unable to reward good support when sent chasing at Aintree in October, but he shaped with plenty of promise and remains capable of better.
Spadestep jumped accurately in the lead and quickened up well after the second last but was headed at the final fence and proved no match for Jordans Cross, another unexposed sort who was also starting out over fences.
The way Spadestep went through that race was encouraging, however, and earned him the Horse In Focus Flag from Timeform's reporter to mark him out as one likely to be of firm interest next time. He also has the Timeform 'small p' to show that he's expected to improve.
It's also worth noting that Jordans Cross was set to give the form a boost on his next outing at Cheltenham only to fall at the final fence when looking the most likely winner.
Back Spadestep in the 12:55 at Doncaster
Doncaster, 14:05 - Docpickedme can enhance Doncaster course record
Docpickedme was beaten nearly 20 lengths in third at Newcastle last time but he shaped better than that result would suggest and seemed to pay the price for mixing it with the much-improved winner, Konfusion, for most of the way.
That effort should provide a solid platform for Docpickedme to build on, while the return to Doncaster - which has generated Timeform's Horses For Courses Flag - offers further reason for optimism. His form figures at the course read 1P21, with the latest victory achieved in the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase in January.
He had a slice of luck on that occasion as he was left in front when the narrow leader, Walking On Air, fell at the final fence, but it was still a useful effort from Docpickedme and he's well treated having eased back to that mark.
Back Docpickedme in the 14:05 at Doncaster
Newcastle, 18:45 - Top-rated Lessay remains well treated
Lessay took advantage of a falling mark and snapped a losing sequence of 14 when successful at Wolverhampton last week, doing well to prevail given how that race developed.
He was held up in mid-field and looked to have plenty on his plate as the modest tempo lifted, but he picked up strongly to hit the front close home and win by a neck.
The sectionals suggest that Lessay can have his performance upgraded, so a 2 lb rise in the weights looks to underestimate him, particularly as he remains 7 lb below the mark he defied at Kempton in March. He's an infrequent winner but hasn't been with the in-form Patrick Morris for long and he has strong claims on these terms, heading Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings by 4 lb.
Back Lessay in the 18:45 at Newcastle