William Hill Epic Boosts Spring Mile Handicap (Str).
Doncaster · Saturday, 28 Mar · 18:25
· 1m
· Class 2
· TURF
WEIGHEDIN
Status
14:25
Off time
22
Runners
Good to Soft (Soft in places)
Going
🎯 Tipster's 1·2·3
Sporting Life pick
🏆 Top pick
PRINCIPALITY (IRE
🥈 Second
FAR FROM DANDY (IRE
🥉 Third
RAINBOW NEBULA (FR
Betting forecast
Market prediction · 22 runners · sorted by price
01 · 🏆 FAV
6.50
11/2
02 · 🥈 2nd
6.50
11/2
03 · 🥉 3rd
9
8/1
04 · —
9
8/1
05 · —
11
10/1
06 · —
12
11/1
07 · —
12
11/1
08 · —
12
11/1
09 · —
15
14/1
10 · —
17
16/1
11 · —
21
20/1
12 · —
23
22/1
13 · —
29
28/1
14 · —
34
33/1
15 · —
34
33/1
16 · —
41
40/1
17 · —
41
40/1
18 · —
41
40/1
19 · —
41
40/1
20 · —
51
50/1
21 · —
51
50/1
22 · —
67
66/1
Sporting Life forecast prices — published the night before the race. Top 3 highlighted as market favourites.
Runners
| Pos | No. | Dr | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Age | Wgt | Best decimal odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 1 | 8 |
Sterling Knight (G)
Gained reward for his consistency in 2025 when landing 7f handicap here in July. Looked rusty after 6 months off at Southwell (7f) 15 days ago but needs to take a big step forward.
|
Toby Moore | E A L Dunlop | 7 | 62.6 kg |
41
40/1
|
| 2nd | 2 | 1 |
Far From Dandy (G)
FAV
[P]
Irish raider signed off for 2025 with a pair of 1m Dundalk victories and has resumed in very good nick, faring best of those held up when fourth of 25 in Irish Lincolnshire at the Curragh 13 days ago. Well in the mix.
|
Colin Keane | Stephen Thorne | 4 | 62.6 kg |
6.50
11/2
|
| 19th | 3 | 17 |
First Ambition (G)
Bagged his first 2 races at Newcastle and Southwell in 2025. Not discredited when seventh in Wolverhampton handicap last time and may still do better with relatively few miles on the clock for good yard.
|
Pierre-Louis Jamin | K R Burke | 5 | 62.1 kg |
23
22/1
|
| 11th | 4 | 12 |
Principality (G)
Arrived late to land 1m handicap at Goodwood last summer and ended 2025 with very good efforts in 1m handicaps there and at Newmarket, not ideally drawn on each occasion. This could set up well for him and he's interesting for yard among t…
|
Kaiya Fraser | Harry Eustace | 4 | 61.7 kg |
9
8/1
|
| 13th | 5 | 6 |
Cadarn (G)
Started 2025 with victory in back-to-back 1m handicaps at Redcar. Only seen twice after for George Boughey and not at his best but can't be discounted for new yard given he goes well fresh and remains quite unexposed.
|
K Stott | K A Ryan | 5 | 61.7 kg |
34
33/1
|
| 4th | 6 | 5 |
Perfect Part (F)
Capable of useful form and twice made the frame at listed level (6f/7f) in the first half of last season. Form tailed off towards the end of the year though and she has her stamina to prove stepping up in trip for return.
|
Harry Russell | B Ellison | 4 | 61.2 kg |
51
50/1
|
| 14th | 7 | 10 |
Carron (G)
[T]
A 3-time winner (including on turf) last year for Charles Hills and got back on the up for his new yard with a gutsy success in 1m Newcastle handicap 22 days ago. This is tougher under a penalty but he can't be ignored.
|
Jack Callan | G Boughey | 4 | 61.2 kg |
15
14/1
|
| 9th | 8 | 13 |
Desperate Dan (G)
Ended 2025 on a high with victory in 14-runner handicap over C&D in October. This demands another step forward though off a 4 lb higher mark.
|
N Callan | P W Chapple-Hyam | 5 | 60.8 kg |
12
11/1
|
| 20th | 9 | 21 |
Vincent Rocks (G)
Looked a good prospect when bagging 1m novices at Nottingham and Southwell on his first 2 starts in the summer. Proved a big disappointment when only ninth on his handicap debut at Newbury upped in trip but remains with potential.
|
Cieren Fallon | H Palmer | 4 | 60.8 kg |
12
11/1
|
| 15th | 10 | 19 |
Intrusively (G)
Only has a maiden win to his name but has been highly tried at times and ended last term with a good fourth to Desperate Dan here in October on his final run for Ed Bethell. Has been gelded and starts out with another good yard here.
|
R Havlin | M Appleby | 4 | 60.3 kg |
21
20/1
|
| 7th | 11 | 14 |
Classic Encounter (G)
Proved a largely reliable sort in 2025, scoring at Redcar (1m) and York (9f). Goes well fresh too so needs considering for his in-form handler.
|
H Crouch | G Boughey | 5 | 60.3 kg |
9
8/1
|
| 1st | 12 | 3 |
Mezcala (G)
FAV
Landed the odds in 1m all-weather maiden at Lingfield and improved again when runner-up on his handicap debut at Haydock. Failed to get home upped to 9f when seventh at Newmarket final run and could have more to offer in 2026.
|
George Bass | J Channon | 4 | 60.3 kg |
6.50
11/2
|
| 16th | 13 | 16 |
Empirestateofmind (G)
[B]
A dual winner last season at Ayr and Musselburgh. Shaped quite a bit better than the distance beaten suggests in this 12 months ago but did have race fitness on his side.
|
Jason Hart | J & S Quinn | 8 | 59.9 kg |
41
40/1
|
| 21th | 14 | 2 |
Naples (G)
Lightly-raced son of Mehmas who ended his time for Paddy Twomey with victory in 1m Listowel maiden in September. Changed hands for 20,000 gns and goes handicapping for his new yard with more required.
|
D C Costello | Steph Hollinshead | 4 | 59.9 kg |
51
50/1
|
| 18th | 15 | 20 |
Rainbow Nebula (G)
[V]
Off the mark in big-field Ascot handicap last autumn and got back on the up (in a first-time visor) with a gritty success at Newcastle (1m) in November. Still lightly raced as he begins his 4-y-o campaign.
|
Billy Garritty | R A Fahey | 4 | 59.4 kg |
11
10/1
|
| 3rd | 16 | 9 |
Lir Speciale (G)
Made it 3-3 here in a 7f heavy-ground handicap in November. A 5 lb rise tolerable and just as effective over 1m, so could be on the premises once more having won first time up in the past.
|
C J Whiteley | B Ellison | 7 | 59 kg |
17
16/1
|
| 22th | 17 | 22 |
Milteye (G)
Proved more settled when getting back on the up with success in 1m Leicester handicap in October. Career-high mark to overcome in tougher race on return.
|
S D Bowen | H Bethell | 6 | 59 kg |
41
40/1
|
| 12th | 18 | 18 |
Prosperitas (G)
[P]
Low-mileage 4-y-o who proved much improved in first-time cheekpieces when bagging 15-runner 7f handicap here in October from On The River. Needs another step forward to get involved on first crack at 1m on reappearance.
|
Marco Ghiani | T Kent | 4 | 59 kg |
34
33/1
|
| 17th | 19 | 15 |
High On Hope (G)
Successful twice over 1m in January and in better heart than his recent form figures suggest, fourth of 12 in 9.5f Wolverhampton handicap 8 days ago when not enjoying a clear run. This is tougher back on turf but wouldn't rule out.
|
Harry Davies | M Appleby | 4 | 59 kg |
12
11/1
|
| 8th | 20 | 7 |
Pressure's On (G)
Right back to his best in 2026, runner-up in a pair of 7f handicaps at Wolverhampton. Can race off the same mark here so possibilities.
|
O J Orr | E A L Dunlop | 5 | 57.6 kg |
41
40/1
|
| 5th | 21 | 11 |
On The River (G)
Consistent sort who signed off last term with a very good second of 15 to Prosperitas in 7f handicap here. Majority of his wins have come on soft/heavy going though.
|
P J McDonald | H Bethell | 7 | 57.2 kg |
29
28/1
|
| 6th | 22 | 4 |
Zowal (G)
Winner of 1m maiden at Musselburgh on his reappearance last April but this French import failed to build on it in handicaps (reported to have suffered breathing problem on last 2 outings). Needs to bounce back on return.
|
Warren Fentiman | J & S Quinn | 4 | 56.7 kg |
67
66/1
|
Betting forecast: Mezcala (11/2), Far From Dandy (11/2), Classic Encounter (8/1), Principality (8/1), Rainbow Nebula (10/1), Desperate Dan (11/1), High On Hope (11/1), Vincent Rocks (11/1), Carron (14/1), Lir Speciale (16/1), Intrusively (20/1), First Ambition (22/1), On The River (28/1), Prosperitas (33/1), Cadarn (33/1), Pressure's On (40/1), Sterling Knight (40/1), Empirestateofmind (40/1), Milteye (40/1), Perfect Part (50/1), Naples (50/1), Zowal (66/1)
Prize money
| Position | Prize |
|---|---|
| P1 | 38655.0 GBP |
| P2 | 18128.0 GBP |
| P3 | 9068.0 GBP |
| P4 | 4530.0 GBP |
| P5 | 2265.0 GBP |
| P6 | 1132.0 GBP |