Saturday Horse Racing Predictions by Stephen Harris at Leicester and Doncaster

Race-fitness can be a big advantage at this early stage of the flat season (particularly up the long Leicester straight when they get racing very early), and Anthony Carson’s handicapper comes into this modest contest having been kept busy on the all-weather throughout the winter months.

He remains a maiden after seven starts previously on the turf but has shown form with cut in the ground in the past, and this looks a very winnable Class 5 sprint.

Simon Pearce’s versatile handicapper returned to his very best form when winning on the all-weather at Newcastle in March over an extended two miles and remains with plenty of upside now switched back to the turf dropping back slightly to 1m6f at Doncaster on Saturday evening.

The booking of the excellent David Probert increases confidence, and a more positive ride is on the cards with his stamina for further now well established (with plenty of deep ground form in France in the past).

Dean Ivory does well with a relatively small team of horses every season, and his quirky handicapper caught the eye travelling strongly on his seasonal reappearance (traded short in-running when cruising up three furlongs out/tired as lack of a run told from the furlong pole).

A lesser effort since at Chelmsford is easy to excuse (too free and got tired on that unique surface), and he is undoubtedly well treated if able to bounce back to his best now switched to the turf at Leicester on Saturday.