Last Updated on 29/03/2026 by Andy Clark
The Flat season is back. Saturday 28 March marks the return of Flat racing on ITV with a superb double-header from Doncaster and Kempton, and what a way to kick things off. Doncaster hosts the traditional season-opener card featuring the Brocklesby Stakes for the first two-year-olds of the campaign, the listed Cammidge Trophy, the Spring Mile and the feature of the day – the Lincoln Handicap, one of the most competitive handicaps of the entire season. Kempton provides the AW action with a 2m handicap and the listed Snowdrop Fillies Stakes is also on ITV’s schedule.
Henry Gibbs has gone through the ITV card race by race with his best bets, each-way plays and ones to watch for the opening day of the 2026 Flat season. For our best horse racing free bets to use today see our horse racing free bet offers, and for more daily selections head to our NAP of the Day.
1:20 Doncaster – Brocklesby Stakes (5f, 2yo)
The opener of the flat season is the Brocklesby Stakes, a 5f contest for the 2-year-old newcomers.
Obviously, market clues are essential here, but OCEAN CLUB (12/1) appeals to me on paper. The son of Persian Force should be ready to go first time up, being owned by Amo Racing, and this is a race they like to target. There doesn’t look to be much between the selection and the favourite on paper, and Kevin Stott taking the ride can be no bad thing. If the market speaks favourably, he’d be the one for me. However, this is certainly more of a watching brief for future contests.
1:50 Doncaster – Cammidge Trophy Stakes (Listed, 6f)
Next up at 1:50 is the Cammidge Trophy Stakes, a listed race over the 6f trip.
The one for me is JASOUR (7/1). A horse with serious ability, but he often pulls too hard to ruin his chance. However, his last two efforts over 6f last season were encouraging, including a close-up 6th in the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket. I like the booking of Jason Hart for this type of horse. A very good and strong jockey who excels in sprint contests. It’s worth chancing his ability given the prices available.
2:08 Kempton – 2m Handicap (AW)
The 2:08 from Kempton is a 2m handicap on the AW surface.
I’d be with BELGRAVIAN (10/3) here for the Andrew Balding yard. He was a progressive 3-year-old last season, winning four on the bounce, including three over this 2m trip, so the trip is of no concern on this seasonal reappearance. Things didn’t quite go to plan on his final two starts last season, but they were in deep handicaps, and he may have just been ready for a nice break. He comes here now freshened up and with another winter under his belt. I think he can resume his improvement. The yard are flying at the moment, and I think they have a really solid contender in Belgravian here.
2:25 Doncaster – Spring Mile (1m)
The Spring Mile comes up at 2:25 from Doncaster.
It is DESPERATE DAN (8/1) EW for me, who I think will be ready to go on his first start of the season for this Spring Mile. I believe he’ll be at peak fitness because he finished off last season with a fine course and distance victory here at Doncaster, suggesting coming back here for this decent prize would be worthwhile. He won’t mind what the ground does, and I think he can hit the frame at least in this competitive affair.
2:42 Kempton – Rosebery Handicap (1m3f)
The next race from Kempton is the Rosebery Handicap over the 1m3f trip.
I think WHITCOMBE ROCKSTAR (8/1) EW comes into this race overpriced, given his obvious course form, and he’s been thriving at present, so certainly won’t be lacking for fitness. His fantastic course record is 7 victories from 12 starts here, including on his last two starts. Up another 5lb again, but he’s previously been rated higher, so there’s no reason to suggest he can’t be in the mix again today.
2:57 Doncaster – Doncaster Mile (Listed, 1m) ⭐ NAP
The 2:57 from Doncaster is the listed level Doncaster Mile.
I think DOCKLANDS (7/4) NAP is the best horse in this race by a good distance, and if he’s anywhere near his best, he’ll be winning this. Qirat and Volterra should add pace to the race, so hopefully they don’t go a crawl, and he can use his turn of foot to pick them off. Jamie Spencer takes the ride and as long as he doesn’t play his cards too late, he should be well suited to Docklands.
3:13 Kempton – Snowdrop Fillies Stakes (Listed, 1m)
Our final race on ITV from Kempton is the Snowdrop Fillies Stakes, another listed contest over the mile.
It is CATHEDRAL (11/4) for me, who brings Group 1 level form to the table from last season. This is a decent drop in grade, and she did win on debut, so I’d be confident she’ll be ready to go on his first outing of her 2026 campaign.
3:32 Doncaster – Lincoln Handicap (1m)
We finish with the feature, the Lincoln Handicap over the mile.
The one for me is SHOUT (12/1) EW, who I think can be a Group performer. He showed strong top-level handicap form last season, winning a competitive contest at Ascot and finishing a close 4th in the Balmoral there on Champions Day. He strikes me as the type to get better as he matures with age, and now 4, I think he could be set for a big season. He’s a previous course winner here, which is an obvious plus, and I think the style of this race over the stiff mile will result in him running a huge race.
Henry Gibbs’ ITV Racing Selections – Saturday 28 March 2026
| Time | Course | Selection | Bet type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:20 | Doncaster | Ocean Club | Win (market dependent) |
| 1:50 | Doncaster | Jasour | Win |
| 2:08 | Kempton | Belgravian | Win |
| 2:25 | Doncaster | Desperate Dan | Each-way |
| 2:42 | Kempton | Whitcombe Rockstar | Each-way |
| 2:57 | Doncaster | Docklands | Win – NAP |
| 3:13 | Kempton | Cathedral | Win |
| 3:32 | Doncaster | Shout | Each-way |
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Andy is the founder, owner and editor of thatsagoal.com, with over 20 years of experience in betting on sports. He has a keen eye for stats, particularly when looking at players to be carded, and these form a large part of the bet builder tips you see on the site. As well as creating daily football tips, Andy also keeps thatsagoal updated with all the best bookmaker promotions and offers for our readers. The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest weeks on the sporting calendar, and his expertise in betting promotions and marketing means you always get the best offers.