Two of the past five Lincoln winners were having their first runs for a new stable and there is a good chance of Mitchum Swagger (3.35) making it three in six years on Saturday at Doncaster. While this six-year-old is close to the top of the weights, he has come down 7lb from the peak rating he had at the end of 2016 and would be nicely treated if Ralph Beckett has got him going in the right direction again.
A fine third in the Hunt Cup that year, Mitchum Swagger goes well when there is juice in the ground and is very fairly priced at 16-1. Beckett won the first Group Three of the European season in France last weekend.
There is nothing much wrong with Fire Brigade, except the shortness of his odds, which take scant account of the fact that there will be 21 useful animals trying to beat him.
1.50 Doncaster Three handicaps in Dubai have not shown Danzeno in an especially good light over the past two months but at least he will be sharper for the experience and he might be the value in this Listed contest. Soft ground is a help to this slow-starting veteran, as it gives him half a chance to catch up and he was third in a Group One on Champions Day with some give, back in 2015.
2.05 Newbury The Devon National stretched Thomas Patrick’s stamina too far but he could go in again back at this distance, with Tom Lacey’s yard seemingly in peak form.
2.25 Doncaster Still on a beatable mark at her best, Seduce Me appears to thrive in the mud and she comes from the Karl Burke yard that has been getting some winners. Cymraeg Bounty is a fascinating contender, having joined Olly Murphy and had a hood fitted, but this is a big ask on his first start since August 2016.
2.40 Newbury Oistrakh Le Noir would be the obvious one but he is a short price and his yard is going cold again. The unexposed Ulysses is an interesting alternative with Richard Johnson booked.
3.00 Doncaster Unbeaten in his first three starts last year, Zabeel Prince probably found his final outing at Ascot came too soon after his York win eight days earlier. Described as “a big baby” by connections then, he can show his progress by taking this Listed prize at the expense of Tabarrak, who has less scope for improvement.
3.15 Newbury A few of these have no secrets from the handicapper but Kalahari Queen should have more to offer, having bolted up at Exeter last time.
Bangor 1.40 Steps And Stairs 2.15 Grace Tara 2.50 Newstart 3.25 Rosmuc Relay 4.00 Ballymoy 4.35 Bialco 5.10 My Lady Grey Doncaster 1.50 Danzeno 2.25 Seduce Me (nb) 3.00 Zabeel Prince 3.35 Mitchum Swagger (nap) 4.10 Wasntexpectingthat 4.45 Voyager Blue 5.20 Polar Forest 5.50 Decima Lingfield 2.00 Expediate 2.35 Night Castle 3.10 Windsor Beach 3.45 A Momentofmadness 4.20 Jan’s Joy 4.55 Smiley Bagel Newbury 2.05 Thomas Patrick 2.40 Ulysses 3.15 Kalahari Queen 3.50 Tiquer 4.25 Pacific De Baune 5.00 Jen’s Boy 5.35 Mystifiable Wolverhampton 5.45 Tavener 6.15 Blackheath 6.45 Vale Of Kent 7.15 Mimram 7.45 Kamra 8.15 Clergyman 8.45 Cathadeans Fury 9.15 Legalized
