Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Flat racing to the fore this Saturday with the Lincoln meeting from Town Moor in Doncaster. This can be a tricky card to find winners, and this year is no exception, with five races being televised from the Yorkshire course.
The meeting starts with a 2-year-old novice stakes, then the Spring Mile Handicap, two Listed races, then the big race itself – The Lincoln Handicap, which has thrown up big-priced winners over the last three seasons. This is backed up by three all-weather races at Kempton, including a Class 1 Listed contest and two Class 2 handicaps.
So, this week’s eight races give us plenty of food for thought at the start of the Flat season, and here are my ideas and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.05 Kempton. Cool Party
2.40 Kempton. Balmacara
1.50 Doncaster. Rogue Encore
3.35 Doncaster. Sean/Fantastic Fox e/w
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at Kempton with the 2.05 Virgin Bet Queen’s Prize Handicap, this is a 2-mile Class 2 contest. The top weight is Harry Eustace’s Divine Comedy, who won at Haydock last May in a similar race, but he has not raced on this surface since finishing third here at Kempton in 2023.
Harry Fry’s Metier won the Chester Cup in 2023. However, he has done very little since. Could this be a prep run as he goes for another tilt at that big prize?
One of the fancied horses is Andrew Balding’s Who’s Glen, who won a Class 4 at Chester in September but was only 5th of 7 at York the following month.
Another fancied runner is Richard Hughes’ Kamboo, who won here as a 2-year-old. He won on the a/w at Newcastle in August, which was the highlight of a poor season.
Alan King’s Tritonic has not won since 2022 but is fit after running 4th over hurdles in December.
I like Charlie Johnson’s Cool Party, who won twice over this course and distance last season. He ran 5th here last month and can improve on that effort.
The Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Rosebery Handicap is at 2.40. This Class 2 race is run over 1m 3f. Alan King’s Paradias was a course and distance winner in January. However, this looks tougher.
Andrew Balding’s Mount Atlas had a fine season last time and will be hoping to get off to a winning start. He has previously been placed on this track.
Balding also has Teumessias Fox, who won here last season, but his form tailed off after that good start.
Marco Botti’s Calumet gets in here with bottom weight, giving him every chance after a good first season, where he was victorious at Windsor in July.
Rafael Freire’s Forceful Speed has been successful in lower-grade races. He is upped in class here and may hit the frame.
My preference is for Eve Johnson Houghton’s Balmacara. He won twice at the beginning of last season, showing that he goes well when fresh. He ran well when runner-up in two hot handicaps towards the end of the season, and his final run can be discounted as he was over the top. His early-season form gives me confidence.
Moving north to Doncaster, the 1.50 is the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Spring Mile Handicap. This Class 2 race is for those horses who failed to get into the Lincoln handicap. Top of the handicap is Tony Coyle & Kaine Wood’s Thunder Roar, who finished last season with a victory at Redcar in October, but this year’s campaign has begun with two heavy defeats at Southwell and the Curragh.
Steph Hollinshead’s Myal finished last season with four wins on the bounce in Class 3 and 5 races, but this is a step up in class, and he has plenty of weight.
Spirit Genie chalked up wins at Haydock, Chester, and Nottingham for trainer Jennie Candish last season. He was 6th in last year’s Lincoln and can hit the frame.
Edward Bethell’s Naepoint has a good chance here based on his end-of-season form, where he won 3 from 4, including a Class 2 at Redcar.
Tom Clover’s Surrey Shadow started this year’s campaign with a win at Southwell in Class 5. However, he has a 5lb penalty for that victory.
Michael and David Easterby’s Spirit Of Acklam finished last season with a third place at Southwell when going off favourite. This is tougher.
I take a chance with Peter Chapple-Hyam’s Rogue Encore who won twice in November on the a/w at Newcastle. He ran fourth on the same course on his final outing when favourite, and I take him to go well here off a low weight.
Finally, we come to the big betting race of the day, the William Hill Lincoln is at 3.35. This Class 2 race is run over Town Moor’s straight mile and is one of the course’s highlights of the year. One of the favourites here is Hamad Al Jehani’s Midnight Gun, who moved from Ed Walker’s stable last July. He was second over this course and distance last October.
Another fancied horse is Karl Burke’s Thunder Run who won three times last season. He looks set for another good campaign.
Mr Professor won this last year, but his form fell off a cliff after that. He is now trained by Rafael Freire. I cannot see a repeat of last year’s victory.
Julie Camacho’s Lattam was second in this last time and finished last season with a fine second at Ascot in October and is sure to go close.
Down near the bottom of the handicap is another Burke runner, Native Warrior who won a small race at Nottingham last May. He then went on to be placed at Goodwood and Ascot.
Gary and Josh Moore’s Alpha Crucis won twice last season – both times at Goodwood. He is proving something of a specialist at the Sussex track.
Another one who is well weighted is William Haggas’s Godwinson, who also won at Goodwood last year, but he ran poorly in his last two races.
I like Jamie Osbourne’s Sean, who has been sunning himself in Meydan this winter where he ran three times, has claimed a runner-up spot in a handicap and was fourth in a Group 2, so I consider he can take this.
As an e/w outsider, I like Roger Varian’s Fantastic Fox, who has been placed on both his runs on the a/w this year. He may be worth a small punt.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.05 Kempton. Cool Party
2.40 Kempton. Balmacara
1.50 Doncaster. Rogue Encore
3.35 Doncaster. Sean/Fantastic Fox e/w
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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