1st-Mar-2014

It is annoying that Doeslessthanme is popular this morning and is therefore a shorter price than I had hoped he would be. As against that, however, coming from a small yard the money for him is encouraging.

Having reached quite a fair height for Paul Nicholls, Doeslessthanme was sold at the end of last season and is now in the care of Richard Ford. He didn’t reappear this season until January when he ran a promising race in a hot two-mile handicap chase at Wetherby. He travelled into the race well but he just couldn’t go with the principals from the third last fence. Sent off at 66/1 though, in finishing fifth he still out-performed his odds by a fair way in what was a strong race.

He didn’t run a bad race on his most recent run either. The step up to two and a half miles was probably not in his favour, especially as he was anchored out the back. Off a fairly steady pace he could never really get into the race behind the progressive No Planning.

The ground was probably a fair bit too soft for him there too. Eight of his 10 career wins have come on officially good to soft ground or better, and today’s conditions, two miles on good ground, should be ideal.

He has been dropped 6lb for his two runs this season, he is now 5lb below his last winning mark, and he should be at his peak fitness-wise now after two runs back this season. It is not hard to see him going well.

DOESLESSTHANME WON (ADV 7/1, SP 11/2)