Best known as the home of the St. Leger Stakes on the flat, the South Yorkshire venue of Doncaster switches to the jumping game over the winter months and offers a similarly high standard of action. Saturday sees one of the premier jump meetings of the year at the Town Moor track, with the seven-race card featuring a pair of Grade 2 contests.
The up-and-coming staying hurdlers get their chance to shine in the River Don Novices’ Hurdle, but this event belongs to the fairer sex of the equine world. First run in 2008, the Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle regularly attracts a Grade 1 calibre of performer, with top-level winners Maries Rock and Vroum Vrouum Mag featuring on the recent roll of honour.
The 3m½f trip demands both stamina and a degree of class in a £60,000 contest, which has attracted the following field of six hopefuls in 2025.
1. Jetara – 7/2 with BetVictor
Trainer: Jessica Harrington
Having landed back-to-back editions with Magic Of Light (2019 & 2020), Ireland’s leading female trainer relies on this Walk In The Park mare in 2025. Successful three times in Listed company and once at Grade 3 level, the pick of Jetara’s efforts at Grade 2 level or above saw her find only Ballyburn too good in the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown. That’s up there with the best form on offer here. However, she needs to bounce back from two subpar showings in her homeland and has yet to race over quite this far.
2. Kateira – 6/4 with BetVictor
Trainer: Dan Skelton
Another mare no stranger to Grade 1 company, Kateira was last sighted finishing a 3¾l fifth behind Crambo in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot. This represents an easier assignment on paper for the daughter of Kayf Tara, but she looks short enough in the market given her zero-from-three record over 3m+. Possibly the classiest mare in the field, but will she stay well enough?
3. Wyenot – 3/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Henry Daly
Winning three of five outings in 2023/24, Wyenot enjoyed an excellent debut season over hurdles and was possibly over the top when only third in a Listed contest at Cheltenham. However, she confirmed she was up to that level last time when hacking up by 9l from Ottizzini over this course and distance in December. Whilst she benefitted from being allowed to dictate the fractions that day, she went through the gears nicely, hit the line strongly, and looks well worth a shot at Graded level.
4. Pinot Rouge – 16/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Susan Corbett
The second course and distance winner in the field mastered the aforementioned Ottizzini by 1/2l in a Listed contest in March. A bare reading of that form suggests she has a lot to find with Wyenot, and she has failed to hit the heights in four outings this term, most recently when finishing a seven-length fourth in a Class 3 contest at Ayr.
5. Della Casa Lunga – 6/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Clive Boultbee-Brooks
Formerly based in Ireland with Sam Curling, this seven-year-old is now the standout stable star at the small yard of Clive Boultbee-Brooks. Since taking up residence in England in October 2023, the mare has won three of ten starts, including a last-time-out success in a handicap over this trip at Kempton. That stamina at the trip counts in her favour, but she received 4lb and a 2¾l beating from Kateira in her most recent outing at Listed level or above.
6. Salsada – 28/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Brian Ellison
Now eight years old, Salsada steps up to this trip for the first time on her 26th career outing. That poses a question, as does the fact that her most recent outing in this Grade resulted in a 17½l defeat in the Scottish Champion Hurdle. On the plus side, she was good enough to finish second to Epatante over 2m in 2023 and arrives in form following successive Class 4 wins at Sedgefield. Markedly up in distance and class, it’s hard to see her being good enough.
The Verdict
We have learned over the years to treat anything making the trip over from the Jessica Harrington operation with the utmost respect. With plenty of quality back form and the application of the first-time cheekpieces, Jetara isn’t dismissed lightly.
However, the Irish raider has to prove she stays this far, as does the clear market leader Kateira, who otherwise holds the likeable Della Casa Lunga. Wyneot has no such concerns, remains relatively unexposed as the youngest runner in the field, and is worth backing to take this next step up the ladder.
Recommended Bet: Wyenot to win @ 3/1 with BetVictor