Doncaster Lincoln Handicap (3.35) is set to serve up the traditional curtain raiser for the British flat season this Saturday, in the shape of a punting puzzle that’s seen winners at 12/1 or bigger in seven of the last 10 runnings including 33/1, 18/1 and 28/1 scorers inside the last three years.
If that wasn’t enough encouragement to chance one or two each-way at larger odds, ante-post favourite Thunder Run is trained by Karl Burke who is winless from 10 runners in the race over the last two decades despite having numerous well-fancied representatives in that time.
These are our three each-way darts for the Donny highlight.
Doncaster 3.35 – Lincoln Handicap each-way tips
Galeron @ 25/1
Godwinson @ 14/1
Orne @ 22/1
EW: 1/5 for 4 Places. Bet on the latest horse racing odds at Betzone.
Class is there to unlock for one-time Guineas performer on UK return
Horses aged five or below have won eight of the last 10 Lincolns and Charlie Hills’s five-year-old GALERON rates a fascinating member of that cohort.
The son of Camacho left the yard at the back end of the 2023 campaign for a career in Australia, where he failed to win in 12 attempts with Annabel Neasom and only returned to his current handler in January of this year.
His back-class is there for all to see, having won the €611,000 Goffs Million on his final juvenile start before placing fourth in the English 2,000 Guineas and third in the Irish equivalent in 2023.
The gelding has reportedly “done really well in the last month or so” according to his trainer, who told reporters “hopefully there should be a nice handicap in him somewhere.”
Tip: Galeron @ 25/1
Trainer record and Goodwood win mean Godwinson warrants respect
No trainer has won the Lincoln more times than William Haggas (five) and the Newmarket handlers’ ‘recent’ record of three winners and two places from just 11 runners over the past 20 runnings suggests anything he fields in the race must be taken seriously.
GODWINSON was Haggas’ sole representative left in at the five-day stage but is likely being overlooked having rounded off his three-year-old campaign with 15th and 11th-placed finishes.
Prior to that though, he won a £23k Goodwood handicap off just 3lbs lower than his current mark of 94, with the opposing Toimy Son and well-fancied Midnight Gun in arrears. After a winter off he could easily resume improving on just his 10th career start.
Tip: Godwinson @ 14/1
Clarehaven representative an intriguing runner back from sprint trips
John and Thady Gosden landed their first high-profile domestic success as father-and-son co-licence-holders when Haqeeqy landed the 2021 Lincoln at 9/2.
Gosden & Son take aim at the 2025 edition with one that’s rather less well-found but no less intriguing in the shape of ORNE, whose best effort last term came when splitting Group 1 winning sprinters Inisherin and Van Deek over 6f in Haydock’s Sandy Lane Stakes.
That run came after three outings at a mile, culminating in a disappointing 11th in the French 2,000 Guineas, but the son of Acclamation was evidently well thought of as a mile prospect so his return to this distance in a prestigious handicap is interesting to say the least.
Gelded last August and not seen on the track since November, he could be very interesting if settling better than he did during his Classic campaign.
Tip: Orne @ 22/1
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