One of the highlights of the racing season arrives today, with the Flat kicking off at Doncaster and The Lincoln Handicap as the feature. It’s a cracking card that should offer some good early-season pointers, so I’ll be watching closely. One selection stands out in the feature — a cracking Each-Way bet who just needs a bit of luck in-running. Should the gaps come in time, a huge run is on the cards.
Unseated rider on way to start, prominent, weakened final furlong
Solid course form, superbly well handicapped, and a very useful 5lb claiming jockey on board — I fancy Galeron to make a bold bid here based on his run in this race last year off a mark 7lbs higher.
He ran a fine 2-length 5th (of 22) in this race last year off a mark of 102, and looked excellent value for that finish given how well he cruised through the race. His rider likely thought he was on the winner when he gave him daylight inside the final furlong — they’d just been outpaced at the critical moment.
He goes today off just 95, a full 7lbs better off, and gets the very useful 5lb allowance from Jack Callan’s claim — meaning he runs off an effective mark 12lbs lower than his previous effort here. On last year’s evidence, that gives him an enormous chance.
He’s been back over the C&D twice since and ran with plenty of credit on both occasions. The latest of those looked particularly unlucky, having to wait and wait and wait again for a gap, before flashing home to go down just ¾ of a length to Desperate Dan.
Elsewhere on the card: Inventress (7/1, Curragh 16:15) interests me for Paddy Twomey. A Mastercraftsman filly who scored in a Maiden despite looking desperate for give underfoot — she now goes for her first Handicap off a mark of 82. She could be well treated off that and gets the ground conditions that should see her improve. Merci Diamond (9/1, Curragh 17:25) also caught my eye — looks exceptionally well handicapped and should find a race soon enough off his current mark. A recent switch to a smaller yard who have managed just one winner from 46 runners over the past twelve months gave me pause, but the booking of Billy Lee is a notable positive.
Best of luck with your punting today.
