IT could be case of dj vu at Doncaster where, on the opening day of the Flat turf racing season, Archie Babe is strongly fancied to repeat his victory of 12 months ago in the Racing Schools Apprentice Handicap.

A year ago to the day, Archie Babe (1.50) stormed to victory in a £5,000, mile-and-a-half contest. And given that underfoot conditions are virtually identical, plus the fact that John Quinn's versatile gelding is fit from a winter jumps' campaign, it's not impossible to envisage the same result for the second year in succession.

The big-race on the card, the £30,000 Listed Doncaster Mile, has lived up to its fancy price tag with an ultra-competitive field.

The BHB ratings suggest there's not much between the top four or five in the market, so it may prove to rely on the guaranteed well-being of Gateman (4.00), fresh from a spell in Dubai's winter sunshine.

Although Gateman made a bright start by finishing second at Nad Al Sheba, his form figures quickly tailed off due exclusively to the rock-hard ground. The selection ideally needs a bit of give to fend of the vagaries of old age on his joints and the recent rain on the Town Moor could not have been more perfectly timed.

In the preceding Lesley Garrett Handicap, a couple of ten-to-follow horses, Abbajabba and Steel Blue, are just two of the contestants lining up for the 22-runner stampede.

It is possible to make a case for both. Even though Abbajabba (3.25) ran so poorly in his prep race on the all-weather at Wolverhampton, he's still marginally preferred to Steel Blue.

It's quite possible that Abbajabba simply hated the feel of the fibre-sand under his feet and in the credit column at least he'll have had a good blow by breezing round the Midlands venue.

Few could quibble that Chris Fairhurst's speedster is now at the right end of the weights on the pick of his career form, so sooner or later Abbajabba's bound to take advantage.

In the closing Lady Riders' Handicap, it might pay to take a calculated risk on the fitness of Eton (5.00).

The David Nicholls-trained eight-year-old has not been seen out for 201-days and therefore he's not sure to be 100 per cent wound up. But on the plus side, Eton has gone well first time up in the past, and, in a relatively weak affair for which his rivals are no great shakes, there may be some value to be gleaned with a small each-way investment on Kelly Harrison's partner.

Frank Jordan will hoping for a quick return on Oulton Broad, having claimed the hurdler from Richard Ford following a facile success at Warwick last week.

Unfortunately, standing in the way of Oulton Broad at Ludlow is Dix Bay (2.00), nursed back to health by Mick Easterby in the hope of taking the Clun Claiming Hurdle.

At his best Dix Bay was quite a smart cookie and there were signs of a mini-revival when chasing home McCracken at Huntingdon on his most recent outing.

* Attheraces is set to stop broadcasting British racing in five days' time after failing to agree new media rights deals with 49 of the country's 59 racecourses.

The £307m deal will terminate at midnight on Monday and, although the channel has been trying to agree new deals with the tracks, officials do not think a new contract will be sorted out in time.

A statement from attheraces said: ''Although discussions are still ongoing with all parties, attheraces believes there is little chance of achieving a successful outcome before Monday's deadline.

''Although negotiations with the 49 tracks continue, without new contracts in place on March 30, attheraces will cease the broadcast of live UK horse racing.

''In this event, attheraces hopes to continue with its evening broadcast of the popular US racing programme, albeit a cut-down version.

''Attheraces intends to remain in negotiations to try to secure a new agreement even if the broadcast of UK racing ceases.