Doncaster Lincoln Meeting Tips

It’s the biggest meeting of the season so far on the Flat at Doncaster this weekend and there are two superb days of turf action on Town Moor for fans of the summer game to savour.

Saturday's card runs from 13:20-17:20 and includes Listed action via the Doncaster Mile (13:20) and the Cammidge Trophy (15:00), plus the feature Lincoln (15:35).

We've assessed the action across the card on Saturday at Doncaster and picked out our best bets.

13:20 - Doncaster Mile (Listed, 1m)

A cracking race to kick off the card can go to CHARYN, who is trained by the Roger Varian stable that sent out the winners of this race in 2016, 2018 and 2019. That is enough to convince that this will have been the early season aim for Charyn and the four-year-old loves testing ground, so has his conditions. He ran solely in Group 1 and 2 races for most of last season, but takes a big drop in class here and should have too much for these rivals.

Selection: Charyn

13:50 - Brocklesby Stakes (5f)

A difficult race to weigh up with 15 unraced juveniles going to post, but it’s worth taking a chance on HIDDEN HERO. Declan Carroll won this race in 2017 with Santry and his gelded son of Land Force is a January foal, so he is bred to be precocious. Plenty has to be taken on trust, but Hidden Hero is a big enough price for taking a chance on.

Selection: Hidden Hero

14:25 - Spring Mile (1m)

The Spring Mile is one of the most competitive straight course handicaps of the weekend at Doncaster and it can go to the Gary Moore-trained MAGIC MEMORIES. He was improving at the back end of last season when following his soft-ground win at Brighton with a good third at Newmarket in November, and there should be plenty more to come this season. He remains unexposed on testing ground and couldn’t have conditions more in his favour here for a trainer who has a good record with the few runners that he sends to this course.

Selection: Magic Memories

15:00 - Cammidge Trophy (Listed, 6f)

An open sprint can go to ORAZIO, who is trained by the Charlie Hills team that won this race in 2021 with Royal Commando. Orazio was one of the most improved performers in the early part of last season when landing hot races at Newmarket and Ascot and he is better than he was able to show towards the end of last season. He has been gelded and can strike.

Selection: Orazio

15:35 - Lincoln (1m)

The big race of the weekend and it looks like a good opportunity for LIBERTY LANE to return to winning ways. The lightly raced four-year-old produced one of the best performances of his career when scoring by a nose over course and distance in September and may have found quicker ground against him when beaten at Newmarket on his final start last season. He returns to his favoured testing conditions and has a huge chance.

Selection: Liberty Lane

16:10 - Maiden Stakes (1m2f)

Ralph Beckett and Andrew Balding have been the trainers to follow in this race in recent seasons and it might be the Beckett-trained AULIS who comes out on top this time. The three-year-old improved on his debut sixth at Newmarket when a good third at Kempton in December and has been gelded since that last run. Any further improvement would make him difficult to beat.

Selection: Aulis

16:45 - Apprentice Handicap (Division One) (1m2f)

BUSTAAM represents the in-form David O’Meara team in this tricky apprentice handicap and might be able to get the job done under Joe Leavy. The four-year-old has dropped to a career-low mark following a below-par run on the all-weather last time, but he has form on soft turf and might be capable of recapturing his best now that he is returned to grass.

Selection: Bustaam

17:20 - Apprentice Handicap (Division Two) (1m2f)

O’Meara and Leavy might hold the key to the second division of this race as well. They team up with VAL BASSETT, who is well handicapped on the pick of his form. The six-year-old has dropped to a career-low mark of 70 and returns from a long absence, but O’Meara can get his runners ready first time and Val Bassett has form on soft turf in France. He might be well suited by these testing conditions.

Selection: Val Bassett