The curtain-raiser of the flat season is back. The Lincoln handicap signals the closing of the National Hunt season as we begin the transition to the speed and ferocity of the flat. Newbury offers the big jumps card of the day as we mix between the two genres in the Spring.
Doncaster
Shining Armour
1:20 – William Hill Doncaster Mile Stakes (Listed) – Knight @ 3/1 (Unibet)
It was a disappointing season from Knight last season. He promised a lot as a two-year-old, but never hit the ground running in five group races. He was narrowly beaten at Sandown by Chindit, on soft ground which shows he’ll prefer today’s going. With Charyn wanting better ground, Knight can kick start the flat season with his first win since 2022.
Astral Beau won this race last year, when rated 86 amongst horses rated 100+. Her victory was mainly based on the heavy going, and with heavy in places in the description she’ll relish the test once again this year. 7/2 (General).
Dashing Roger can also take advantage of the testing ground. He won two races at the back-end of last season on heavy ground, including a handicap by five-and-a-half lengths. Rossa Ryan is an interesting booking, with plenty of placings in recent days. 25/1 (BetVictor, Boylesports).
Barra-full of Cash
3:00 – William Hill Cammidge Trophy (Listed) – Baradar @ 3/1 (BetVictor, Unibet)
Baradar is stepping into level weights for the first time since 2022, when racing in Ireland. He came third in last year’s Lincoln. He managed to win two class two handicaps last season and will not mind the testing conditions. Listed races can sometimes be tricky to negotiate, but this looks like a nice race for Baradar to dominate.
First Big Flat Handicap
3:35 – William Hill Lincoln (Heritage Handicap) – Lattam @ 11/1 (Unibet)
A word on the favourites; The Irish haven’t won this race in 40 years, and it doesn’t look like it will be broken with the Irish Lincoln winner carrying an extra five pounds. Liberty Lane looks a little too high in the weights. Despite being drawn on the far side, he’s on the far rail and only a couple of horses have won from that position.
I like the look of Lattam, running for the first time under Julie Camacho. He’s a winner of the Irish Lincoln and usually performs well first time out in the season. He hasn’t moved off his mark of 95 but will like the ground and performs well at this time in the season.
Last year’s winner Migration should go well again. He’s four pounds higher in the weights, but he always is on his A game at the start of the season. David Menusier hasn’t been running many horses during the winter, but given he has a 50% strike rate from running two horses, he is a target trainer and will have prepped Migration for this race again. 16/1 (BetVictor, Betfred, Boylesports).
Spirit Genie is a live outsider for the race. He performed well at the back-end of last season with a win and a narrow second on similar ground which won’t be a problem. His mark of 86 sees him sneak into to the race, rather than dropping into the Spring Mile. It might be his first time at this level, but Jennie Candlish has managed to win two races from her last five runners at a 40% strike rate. 16/1 (William Hill).
Newbury
Something’s In The Room…
3:15 – British EBF BetVictor “National Hunt” Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade Two) – El Elefante @ 11/2 (BetVictor)
It took four attempts, but El Elefante finally got her elusive win at Ayr, the Friday before the Festival. The form was well franked after her run in the Rossington Main behind Jeriko Du Reponet. But as he disappointed at the Festival, the second and third didn’t. She remains on the same winning mark as before and despite a high weight she has plenty of talent.
The very best of luck!
