Doncaster Lincoln Tip: Yuften

Backing the favourite in a 22-runner field might seem like lunacy but there’s often a Group-class horse lurking in the first valuable handicap of the turf season.

Yuften hasn’t been with Roger Charlton long but he took the valuable Balmoral handicap at the backend of last season and his return at Wolverhampton three weeks ago was full of promise.

Phillip Makin got the fractions right and gave the winner Salateen a perfect ride but Yuften was the eye-catcher back in third. From a wide draw, he got too far behind the leader, but he was the fastest closer in the race and the best horse on the day after adjusting for pace.

In defeat he earned a adjusted sectional rating of 108 and promises to be even better over a mile. He was gelded over the winter, which could bring about further improvement and we shouldn’t forget that as a 3-year-old he reached a peak rating of 116 and was only beaten 4.75 lengths by Kingman at Royal Ascot.

In that context, a mark of 105 isn’t insurmountable (won off 101 last year) and he is the most likely winner.