The turf flat season starts at Doncaster with a typically competitive Lincoln Handicap to be run in heavy conditions as it was last year when Migration carried top weight to beat Awaal and these two renew rivalry.
There has only been one winner carrying less that 9st in the last ten renewals and I fancy Lattam (see below) to do just that off 8st 11lbs, with my big each way selection One Night Thunder (see below) near the bottom of the weights off 8st 4lbs with Laura Coughlan claiming 3lbs.
At Newbury there is a good jumps card, and the feature the Grade 2 Mares’ Novice Hurdle is certainly competitive with seventeen runners, whilst there is almost a full field in the Goffs Spring Sale Bumper at 3.50.
Enjoy whether at a racecourse or watching #athome on ITV Racing.
See you at Newbury.
Cheers
The Wine Tipster
2.10 Newbury – Handicap Hurdle (2m 3f)
Kartoon And Co (nap) looked nicely handicapped off a mark of 109 for his debut in this sphere at Sandown last time out two weeks ago but gave winner Spiced Rum too much rope turning for home, and he could never quite get to him despite staying on well all the way up the hill. He was upped 3lb for that but is still on a fair mark on novice hurdle form and as a four-year-old gets a significant weight allowance plus the step up in trip will definitely work in his favour.
2.25 Doncaster – Spring Mile Handicap (1m)
Thunder Roar was much improved at the back end of last year, when winning on soft ground at York and following up on heavy ground at Doncaster. He was on both occasions strong at the finish over 7f and looking like another furlong wouldn’t be an issue and in fact gave the impressive that extra furlong would improve him. Thunder Roar came back from winter break to run a smashing race at Southwell two weeks ago, weakening late to finish third after not being given a hard race and looking like the run would bring him on. Jamie Spencer is an obvious plus point in the saddle and as long as low numbers aren’t disadvantaged, he can go well from stall 1 in a wide-open renewal.
Helter Skelter was third on his penultimate start at Killarney last September in the heavy over this distance when taking over the lead two furlongs out and weakening near the line when a later challenge would have been better tactically. He left the stable of John Joseph Murphy to join Rebecca Menzies in late January and made his first appearance for the yard a week ago at Wolverhampton when 6½ lengths fourth to Aerospace, which will have sharpened him up. Helter Skelter will like the conditions, is sure to strip fitter and can run a big race from stall 3.
3.15 Newbury – Mares’ Novice Hurdle Limited Handicap Grade 2 (2m 4½f)
Marmalade Time improved to win what looked a decent novice contest earlier this month at Doncaster last time out, making all the running and despite jumping left, found plenty on the run-in to see off Betty’s Tiara, the well-backed favourite in the heavy. Marmalade Time won with something in hand and there was plenty to like about her attitude, with similar front running tactics expected here.
3.35 Doncaster – Lincoln Heritage Handicap (1m)
Lattam is having his first start for the Julie Camacho team and looks to have been lined up with this in mind. He won the Irish version at the Curragh first time up last year in heavy conditions for his previous trainer William Haggas, who had booked the winning jockey Chris Hayes two weeks before the ride and Chris Hayes carried out the challenge late instructions perfectly to lead right on the line! Lattam followed that up with an excellent second in the Spring Cup at Newbury and pretty much held his form in hot handicaps all year after that. His form figures on his last four starts were 15 (interference), 3,5 and 7, with the handicapper interestingly keeping him on the same mark. Lattam goes well fresh, loves the heavy, with Ryan Sexton an interesting booking and is well drawn in stall 14 in the middle if recent evidence is anything to go by. An excellent chance.
One Night Thunder is the only colt in the field and one of the few who can handle heavy going as he showed when fourth at 66/1 on the Rowley Mile to mudlark Dashing Roger on the last day of the Newmarket 2023 season in November. One Night Thunder was up in the front throughout and only faded late on when losing two places in the final furlong in what looked a hard race, which would explain his poor performance on the all-weather at Newcastle eleven days later. Like Thunder Roar, my selection in the 2.25, One Night Thunder is by Night of Thunder, who was certainly ground versatile and this four- year-old can reward each way players from stall 16.
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