TIM EASTERBY goes for a jackpot strike at Doncaster this afternoon with the hat-trick seeking Mattmu.

A winner at Haydock and Chester, the two-year-old goes for the Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes, which has been his target since mid-summer.

Great Habton-based Easterby has always held Mattmu in high regard and, although the youngster finished second in his first three races, he has since come good with a vengeance. He gets into this richly endowed contest with a light weight and is fancied to have the edge over Valley Of Fire, who made a winning debut at York in July and who has since run well on Knavesmire in a big sales race, and the consistent Kibaar, the mount of Paul Hanagan.

Hanagan also strong claims on Muteela, on whom he won at Royal Ascot in June, in the Japan Racing Association Sceptre Stakes, but Bragging will be a popular choice among punters in this Group 3 event for fillies' and mares.

Brought along typically steadily by Sir Michael Stoute, the three-year-old has won her last two starts and her most recent victory at York's Ebor Festival was nothing if not impressive. She now faces a step up in class, but this fast-improving filly is expected to cope. James Doyle rides.

The £90,000 DFS Park Hill Stakes looks a tricky race to solve, but Criteria, trained by John Gosden, has smart claims under William Buick.

The three-year-old finished an excellent third to Bracelet in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and, more recently, filled fourth spot in a Group 3 contest at Deauville. She stays well and ought to be involved in the business end of this Group 2 feature.

Gosden could be worth following throughout the afternoon. The Newmarket trainer also has a good chance with the lightly-raced Long Cross, a recent Newmarket winner, in the crownhotel-bawtry.com Handicap, and also with well-bred newcomer Secateur in the DFS British Stallion Studs Maiden Stakes.

The Epsom card is worth a second look, given the amount of North Yorkshire there is at the home of the Derby.

Richard Fahey, who had a treble at the course last month, sends the promising Thorkhill Star south for the EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes with George Chaloner on board and the two-year-old might not have to improve much on what he has already achieved to open his account.

Westow trainer Paul Midgley has identified the Pinsent Masons Handicap as a suitable opportunity for Snow Bay.

The eight-year-old has found the winners' enclosure fairly elusive this year, but he is now getting down to a more realistic handicap mark and his latest runner-up effort at Thirsk suggested his turn may be near again. A horse who likes to bowl along in front, he could some catching.

John Quinn is another North Yorkshire trainer with Epsom in his sights. The Norton handler runs Park Place in the Taffy Maiden Stakes and Phillip Makin's mount looks sure to make a bold bid after finishing in the frame in both his starts this season.


Selections

Doncaster today
1.40 Home Cummins, 2.10 Bragging, 2.40 Criteria, 3.15 Mattmu (NAP), 3.45 Long Cross, 4.25 Flippant, 5.00 Secateur, 5.35 Bajan Bear.

Epsom today
2.30 Thorkhill Star, 3.00 Rolling Dice, 3.35 Snow Bay, 4.10 Whinging Willie, 4.45 Park Place, 5.20 Lady Phill.

Today’s other meetings:
Chepstow and Wolverhampton.

Tomorrow’s meetings:
Chester, Doncaster, Salisbury and Sandown.