Take a chance on Dumaran tomorrow in the first big race of the Flat turf season, the Freephone Stanleybet Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster.
Trained at Newmarket by the shrewd Willie Musson, Dumaran is a value-for-money 20-1 shot with most bookmakers and has a great each-way chance in a wide-open race.
Not only will he relish the slightly softened underfoot conditions, he has the added credentials of being well handicapped, of having finished a creditable sixth in the race last year when trained by Andrew Balding, plus he has had the benefit of a recent pipe-opener with a race on the sand.
But most of all, he has got a low draw, which is crucial to Lincoln fancies. The last five Lincoln winners have all come from single-figure stalls.
Among the other horses with obvious chances and who occupy the favoured stalls are Cambridgeshire winner Chivalry, the progressive Desert Opal, Tim Easterby's Flighty Fellow, and the well-fancied Alkaadhem.
As for the ante-post favourite Fremen, representing Sir Michael Stoute, who sent out Sublimity to win on the course yesterday, he should not be inconvenienced by being drawn in stall 10.
Those higher than that, however, are at varying disadvantages, and they include last year's winner Pablo, who looks to have it all to do trying to win again from stall 21.
Fire Up The Band, trained near Easingwold by David Nicholls, has good prospects of lifting the £30,000 Cammidge Trophy.
The five-year-old confirmed himself to be a high-class sprinter last season, verging on Group class. There is every reason to believe that this slow-maturing performer can get even better still. A recent run on the all-weather should have benefitted him and I fancy him to run a big race.
Mark Johnston can make his first strike of the turf season with Systematic in the Konica East Doncaster Shield.
Over the jumps at Newbury, Kim Bailey could hold the key to the EBF Crandon Park Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle Handicap Final, worth £50,000, with Countess Camilla, who I fancy to defy top weight. The seven-year-old has won three of her last four starts.
Saturday's tips:
Doncaster
1.40 New Mexican, 2.10 Systematic, 2.45 Dumaran (Nap), 3.15 Fire Up The Band, 3.50 Local Poet, 4.25 Persian Rock, 5.00 Mount Vettore.
Newbury
1.55 Desailly, 2.25 Precious Mystery, 3.00 Countess Camilla 3.35 Enzo de Baune, 4.10 Ballyrobert, 4.45 Self Defense, 5.20 Icy Blast.
Tomorrow's other meetings are at Kempton, Wolverhampton and Bangor.
Updated: 12:32 Friday, March 26, 2004
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