By Bill Esdaile
WITH the dust having settled on last week’s Cheltenham Festival, it’s worth looking back at what was a fantastic four days racing.
State Man took full advantage of Constitution Hill’s absence in the Champion Hurdle, Captain Guinness was the beneficiary of El Fabiolo’s errant jumping in the Champion Chase, while Teahupoo went two better than last year to claim the Stayers’ crown.
However, the week was lit up by the brilliant Galopin Des Champs landing back-to-back Gold Cups and in the process handing the imperious Willie Mullins a ninth winner of the Festival, with the Closutton trainer having already passed the remarkable landmark of 100 Festival winners earlier in the week.
It was also a successful four days from a tipping perspective, as Captain Guinness found the mark in the Champion Chase at an advised ante-post price of 16/1, while Chianti Classico was an impressive winner of the Ultima at an early-advised 10/1.
Attention turns this weekend to the return of the Flat, with the traditional season-opening Lincoln Handicap (3.35pm) at Doncaster.
Punting in the early stages of the Flat season is always tricky as the ground is usually testing and it can take time to see which yards have their horses ready to go in the opening weeks of the campaign.
There are always trainers that tend to have their horses particularly well prepped for the start of the season and Karl Burke is one I always look to at this time of year.
The Yorkshire-based handler has never won the Lincoln but looks to have a strong contender this year in LIBERTY LANE.
His record when fresh stands at one win from two starts, and he finished runner-up on the second occasion, so he clearly is capable of going well first time up.
He gave 7lbs to subsequent Hampton Court Stakes winner Waipiro on reappearance last season when beaten just over three lengths and backed that up when not disgraced in the Dante at York.
His game victory over this course and distance last September off a mark of 97 suggested that this was his trip, and allowing for improvement this season, he should be feasibly treated off 102.
Both of his victories to date have come on soft ground and conditions at Doncaster should be ideal for this son of Teofilo.
He has the right profile for this race as a lightly-raced four-year-old and I’m willing to take a chance at around 5/1 that Burke has him ready for this opening assignment.
MARSHMAN, who goes in the preceding Listed Cammidge Trophy (3.00pm), is another Burke-trained horse of strong interest.
This four-year-old is two from two on his first start of the season and he was an impressive winner in Group Three company at Chantilly on his seasonal bow in 2023.
He went on to finish a close third in a Group Two at the French track in June and then ran a good race in the King’s Stand over a trip that was probably a bit sharp for him.
This easy six furlongs on soft ground should be ideal and, given he was solely campaigned in Group company last season, this represents a drop in class.
Most of his rivals are handicappers, so there’s a good chance Marshman can outclass his rivals here and the 3/1 on offer looks more than fair.
There’s also some decent jumping action from Newbury and the BetVictor Handicap Chase (2.40pm) looks like it could be fought out by the reopposing first and second from the Greatwood Gold Cup in Heltenham and Kandoo Kid.
Kandoo Kid is now 4lbs better off at the weights, but Heltenham looked to win with authority last time, so he might be able to confirm form for the red-hot Skelton team.
Bill Esdaile advised winners at 16/1, 12/1, 10/1, 10/1 and 5/2 at last week’s Cheltenham Festival.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Mashman 3.00pm Doncaster
Liberty Lane 3.35pm Doncaster
