Matt Brocklebank flags up the key weekend entries at Doncaster and Kempton, including a strong hand for Wathnan Racing in the Lincoln.
Wathnan taking aim at Lincoln riches
The Flat is back – albeit fleetingly before all the attention turns to Aintree – but temperatures are creeping up to somewhere close to acceptable and the forecast is set reasonably fair at Doncaster, where the ground for Lincoln day is likely to remain "on the softer side" according to Clerk of the Course, David Attwood.
The William Hill-backed feature handicap – along with its consolation race the Spring Mile – looks as competitive as you'd expect and the only slight surprise is that we have Yorkshire runners heading the antepost market as you’ve got to go back to Bravery's win for David O'Meara in 2017 for the last time the Lincoln prize stayed in the north.
What isn’t a shock, however, is that it’s a pair of Karl Burke-trained horses who are proving most popular, with unexposed four-year-old Thunder Run looking a natural fit for a race of this nature ever since being sent down the handicap route.
He’s presumably going to be joined in the field by stablemate Native Warrior, who has been gelded since racing too keenly and disappointing here on Leger day. Native Warrior hasn’t run since but was placed at Royal Ascot and Goodwood and remains a very nice prospect for Wathnan Racing, who seem eager to get on with things this season having lined the Hamad Al Jehani-trained Midnight Gun up for this contest too.
He also ended last year with a Doncaster recce, finishing second on Town Moor in October, and he too has been gelded over the winter.
You won’t be alone if you initially scanned the Lincoln card looking for the names of Gosden and Haggas, and the big Newmarket outfits have Orne (talented but hard to catch right) and Godwinson (goes well fresh and runs in silks of 2022 winner Johan) engaged respectively.
Another name to note is that of Ocean Of Dreams. Officially rated 90, he might be more one for the Spring Mile but if running here would be making his handicap and stable debut, having had three outings for Aidan O’Brien including an impressive heavy-ground maiden success at Leopardstown in October 2023 before not making the grade last season.
Burke well set for further profits
Burke saddled 15 winners from 60 runners on the turf in March and April last year and while having no runner in the Brocklesby, is very well represented elsewhere on the card including Spycatcher and Marshman in the Cammidge Trophy.
The latter had his pocket picked in the Cammidge 12 months ago, beaten a neck by Montassib, after looking like he had it sewn up, but arrives hard fit from the all-weather this time and the half-length second when trying to concede 3lb to Clarendon House was no disgrace at Southwell last time. The third Valiant Force has franked the form since at Dundalk too.
It might just be Burke again with the ace in the Doncaster Mile pack as Liberty Lane looks to resume his progress having ended 2024 clocking some big numbers at Newmarket. He hacked up in the Cambridgeshire before proving that now draw-bias fluke with a solid second to Lead Artist in the Group 3 Darley Stakes.
That defeat may been seen as something of a blessing in disguise this weekend as he goes unpenalised and bids to atone for last year's Lincoln effort when sent off 5/1 but unable to show his true colours having scoped dirty a few days later.
WATCH: Liberty Lane wins the bet365 Cambridgeshire by two and a half lengths
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Buick in for good day at Kempton
Balmacara wasn’t just an early bird last season, going on to be second at Sandown off a mark of 100 in August, but it's worth recalling he did begin 2024 with back-to-back Doncaster victories in March and April so it would seem wise to consider him for Kempton’s Rosebery Handicap.
He didn’t sparkle when pitched into the Cambridgeshire on his final run of last year but he’s entitled to find a bit more improvement as a four-year-old this time around and clearly goes on any ground. Whether he’ll cope with Kempton’s polytrack is not yet known as if he shows up on Saturday then he’ll be making his all-weather debut.
In the same race, William Buick – who already has a quality full book of rides as you might expect – is pencilled in for Mr Allan, who has been running well out in Bahrain during the winter.
The last (and only time) Buick rode George Boughey’s horse he won by a nose at Nottingham from a mark of 94 and he’s able to run off a 1lb lower perch this weekend.
The Boughey-trained Sandringham winner Soprano is arguably the star of the show at Kempton on her seasonal return in the Listed Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes.
With Buick required for Charlie Appleby’s Devoted Queen, Boughey turns to champion jockey Oisin Murphy, who only had three rides for the yard last year – winning once and finishing second on the two other occasions.
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