The Flat is back on the turf this weekend, with the Lincoln Handicap taking centre stage at Doncaster. However, don’t worry, jumps fans, we still have some good action at Newbury and Bangor On Dee to look at.
1.20 Doncaster – Charyn (Win)
This isn’t an easy opener, but I am just going to give my slight preference for Charyn. He was dining at the top table in plenty of the big races last season, which included a third in the St.James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot behind Paddington. The son of Dark Angel has shown he can go well fresh in the past and that he handles soft ground. He is officially rated the best horse in the race and I think he can give his trainer Roger Varian a winner here.
1.50 Doncaster – Indication Ember (Each Way)
Unless you have any prior information, trying to find the winner of this race is a hard task. We are dealing with a field of unraced two-year-olds with no form to go on. Looking at the pedigrees, the one that interests me the most is Indication Ember for Grant Tuer. This horse is by Mason, who has sired plenty of winners that handle ease in the ground. Furthermore she already has some fancy entries next to her name, including one in the Super Sprint Stakes at Newbury, which is always an ultra-competitive race. I wouldn’t be surprised to see her make an encouraging racecourse debut.
2.25 Doncaster – Hortzador (Each Way)
It’s likely that Hortzador’s best days are behind him, but he doesn’t mind a trip to Doncaster and he’s very well handicapped on his old form. The nine-year-old gelding has previously run at this meeting before where he finished third in the Lincoln off a 20lb higher mark in 2022. He doesn’t mind a bit of cut in the ground and he arrives here fit after a spell on the all-weather this winter. I don’t see anything sticking out that looks unexposed, so I’m happy to go with an experienced campaigner in this one, each way.
3.00 Doncaster – Marshman (Win)
Marshman didn’t quite live up to expectations last season after he showed a lot of promise as a two-year-old. He still ran well in some big races, which included a second in a Group 2 in France, but he wasn’t able to be competitive at the highest level. The son of Harry Angel now starts off in a Listed race, which looks like a good starting point for him. He is proven to go well fresh and handle soft ground and with his trainer Karl Burke in excellent form, I think he’s the one to beat.
3.35 Doncaster – Liberty Lane (Win) / Revich (Each Way)
I don’t like to be boring but Liberty Lane looks to have a very good chance of taking the Lincoln. He has the right profile for the race being a four-year-old and he could be the group horse in the handicap. Furthermore he’s won over this course and distance, goes well fresh and loves the mud. It will be a tough test for him to win a race of this nature, first time out but he surely will be there or thereabouts.
One at a bigger price, who could get involved for the places is Revich. He seemed to be rejuvenated last season winning on two occasions. The eight-year-old gelding has featured in this race in the past finishing ninth and sixth in previous years. It’s a big ask for him to win, but he likes a bit of cut in the ground and his yard are in very good form at the time of writing as Richard Spencer is operating at a 60% strike rate. If he can replicate some of his form from last season I think he’s not a bad each-way selection.
2.10 Newbury – Idy Wood (Each Way)
Idy Wood has run well in some good races this season and he wasn’t disgraced when finishing third in the Grade 2 Dovecote at Kempton last month. The son of Coastal Path now steps back up in trip, which I think will suit him because he looks like an out and out galloper and he doesn’t mind some ease in conditions. Off a mark of 124 I think he can be competitive in this field.
2.40 Newbury – Heltenham
Dan Skelton has been in red hot form since Cheltenham and he looks to have a good chance here with Heltenham. The seven-year-old gelding was a good winner of the Greatwood Gold Cup over this course and distance the last time we saw him. This looks a weak race and he could have more to offer despite the handicapper hitting him with a 6lb rise. He looks to be one of the bankers of the day.
3.15 Newbury – Kay Tara Tara (Each Way)
Kay Tara Tara ran well to finish second at Ayr behind El Elfante earlier this month. My selection now opposes her again and will be on much better terms as they raced off level weights when they previously met. It looks like Alan King has been targeting this race with his six-year-old mare all season and she doesn’t appear to be on a bad mark. I can see her running well and looks a bit of each way value.
1.30 Bangor On Dee – West To The Bridge (Win)
West To The Bridge is starting to become very well handicapped. He is now 1lb lower than his last winning mark, but he has been holding his own in some good races. The last time we saw him he finished fourth at Newbury over 2m, however he probably wants a longer trip these days and the step back up to 2m4f will be a positive. He’s a course winner and handles most conditions. For me he has to go close.
