As the stalls clang open at Doncaster for another season of Flat racing on turf, punters have to ask themselves once more how they feel about taking odds such as 7-2 in a hot 22-runner handicap. Three of the past 10 winners of the Lincoln have been short-priced runners from Newmarket, so it would be foolhardy to strike a line through the name of Auxerre just because the value has gone.
Still, he will need to take a big step forward on the form of his half-length win at Kempton in October and an each-way alternative is my preferred way of tackling this race. Safe Voyage (3.35) appeals most at 20-1, bearing in mind the strength with which he finished to land the Ahonoora at Galway last summer.
Only 4lb higher and with the extra furlong seemingly sure to help, Safe Voyage comes from the John Quinn yard that has won the Lincoln twice since 2006.
1.50 Doncaster: It’s interesting to see Arbalet dropped back to six furlongs for the first time since his juvenile season and the move could pay off in this Cammidge Trophy. The grey ran three fine races over seven last summer but couldn’t quite get to the leaders if he was held up and couldn’t quite sustain his effort if he raced prominently.
2.05 Kempton: Having shown a lot of improvement in winning his last five races, Matterhorn is hard to oppose. His course and distance success three weeks ago amounted to a personal best and it seems there is more to come from Mark Johnston’s colt.
2.25 Doncaster: William Jarvis has a useful type in Rampant Lion, bought out of Mark Johnston’s yard in October. He warmed up for this with a cosy win at Kempton in February, still looks ahead of his rating and now has Silvestre de Sousa aboard.
2.40 Kempton: Soldier’s Minute was upped 10lb for winning a Class 4 and faces much tougher opposition, while Alwasmiya hasn’t been seen since 2017. A more tempting proposition is Desert Doctor, who won his novice here in 2017 and has been showing steady progress at other all-weather venues this winter.
3.00 Doncaster: Sharja Bridge looks like going off at odds-on but this is a very different test to the big-field handicap he won on soft ground when last seen on Champions Day. Red Starlight is given a chance to sustain the improvement she showed through last year and the drying ground looks like good news for Richard Hannon’s filly.
3.15 Kempton: William Knight’s horses have been running well and perhaps this is the time to catch his Soto Sizzler, who finished strongly to land a handicap at Glorious Goodwood. He should relish the expected strong pace as he makes his all-weather debut and is an each-way price.
Greg Wood in Dubai
Given all the excitement around Almond Eye (3.20) this week, it is a slight surprise to find her still on offer at odds-against with the bookmakers. Were the race being run in Japan, she would be around 1-10 on the local Tote, and while that too would be a false price, she is a few pounds clear of the field on ratings and the 5-4 still available could yet prove to be as big as any odds that punters will get about her all year.
This year’s Dubai World Cup has not attracted a standout runner from the United States such as California Chrome or Arrogate, the winners in 2016 and 2017 respectively, but it promises to be an open and competitive race as a result.
North America is a narrow favourite but has run below form at this meeting for two years running and Seeking The Soul (4.40), who is stepping up from eight and nine furlongs, could prove the best of the US-trained runners.
Japan has another big chance on the night with Rey De Oro (4.00) in the Sheema Classic while Drafted (2.40) and Call The Wind (12.50) also appeal at the prices in the Golden Shaheen and Dubai Gold Cup, respectively.
Kempton 1.35 Sawasdee 2.05 Matterhorn 2.40 Desert Doctor 3.15 Soto Sizzler 3.50 Eardley Road 4.25 Liberation Day 5.00 Nylon Speed
Doncaster 1.50 Arbalet (nb) 2.25 Rampant Lion 3.00 Red Starlight 3.35 Safe Voyage (nap) 4.10 Show Me Show Me 4.45 Just You Wait 5.20 Cosmic Landscape
Stratford 1.55 Airton 2.30 Carrigmoorna Matt 3.05 Set List 3.40 The Welsh Paddies 4.15 Sandy Boy 4.50 Keep Moving 5.25 Nothing Man
Uttoxeter 2.10 Cold Fusion 2.45 Supremely Lucky 3.20 Cougar’s Gold 3.55 Renwick 4.30 Transpennine Star 5.05 Zamparelli 5.35 Wynn House
Southwell 6.00 Thunder Buddy 6.30 Vikivaki 7.00 Space Bandit 7.30 Tynecastle Park 8.00 Champagne Mondays 8.30 Joyful Dream
Meydan (by Greg Wood) 12.15 Muntazah 12.50 Call The Wind 1.30 Blue Point 2.05 Divine Image 2.40 Drafted 3.20 Almond Eye 4.00 Rey De Oro 4.40 Seeking The Soul
Tips by Chris Cook