Saturday 24th January 12:55
A third ante-post play of the week for Racing analyst Will Smith is a 1-star * 8/1 EW bet in the River Don Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster on Saturday.
| Bookie | Selection | Best Odds | Market | Bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Country Code | 8/1 | Ante Post
* EW 3 places 1/5 River Don Novices' Hurdle - 12.55 Doncaster - Sat 24 Jan |
Place Bet |
Date of Tips: 21/01/2026
Disclaimer The odds for these selections were correct at the time of publishing (16:36 21/01/2026) but may have changed since. Please check the latest price before placing your bet.
The VirginBet Daily Extra Places River Don Novices’ Hurdle at 12.55 at Doncaster year in, year out features multiple horses who also receive an entry in the 2m 4½f Grade 2 Novices’ Hurdle on Cheltenham’s Trials Day card.
This year is no different, but I am heartened by the fact that a horse who is flying significantly under the top-level radar, has James Bowen jocked up for the River Don at Doncaster. Brian Hughes, Craig Nichol and Danny McMenamin have either ridden Country Code before or would have been a logical choice but are taken up with commitments on others. So, it’s notable that Ruth Jefferson has booked someone who is clearly a top-notch rider and has never actually ridden for the yard before.
Country Code is available at 8/1 each-way with a few firms, and for all that the race won’t cut up a huge amount, I would still suggest he is a bet down to anything around the 9/2 mark, such is the regard with which this horse should be held.
3rd in a point-to-point that is starting to work out extremely well, Country Code has then won both of his hurdle starts in impressive and contrasting fashion, without even getting close to the bottom of his barrel.
At Newcastle, he and a subsequent winner sprinted clear of their field (displaying a striking turn of foot in the process), and then Country Code went to Kelso for what looked a really competitive novice hurdle, and having gone a solid tempo throughout, Country Code simply oozed class and stamina as he galloped clear of some quality rivals.
To date, Country Code hasn’t faced a very testing surface, for all that it was soft enough at Kelso, but if you watch how he moves it could be that he improves for deeper ground. There will be plenty of horses to come out of the Albert Bartlett woodwork for the Cheltenham Festival, but you could also do far worse than taking some 33/1 about him for that. But for now, the 8/1 each-way with Bet365 and William Hill represents a 1-star * ante-post play for WhichBookie.
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A third ante-post play of the week for Racing analyst Will Smith is a 1-star * 8/1 EW bet in the River Don Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster on Saturday.
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