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Many years ago I can remember picking Sovereign Bill to win the Lincoln. It was a ‘big race’ in those days. Not only was it one of a select bunch of big field handicaps that you could actually name it also heralded the start of the Flat season. Contrast that to what we have now. The Lincoln is buried in the middle of the Jumps season where Fairyhouse, Aintree and Punchestown have all increased in prominence (some dramatically so), big field handicaps are effectively ten a penny and of course we now have the dubious pleasure of all-weather racing all year. Those that enjoy that pleasure will no doubt be in raptures at the thought of three such meetings tomorrow.
Doncaster and TWO all weather meetings at Kempton and Chelmsford this Saturday afternoon, can’t think of anything worse….
Well hang on there’s the interminable grand prix motor racesI’m always pleased when the Lincoln arrives. Yes, there is still some decent NH racing to come with the Aintree National meeting, the Scottish National and the bet 365 Gold Cup (I don’t give a fig about what goes on the other side of the Irish Sea). But the Lincoln marks the start of the well established turf programme, with the Newbury Spring Cup, the late April Epsom meeting and the early May meeting at Chester following on, right through to November Handicap day at Doncaster in November. These provide plenty of opportunities for backing winners in top class handicaps where the form normally stands up (if one knows how to read it), in races with fair starts and little if any chance of one’s selection being brought down by other horses.
There is certainly no shortage of large field handicaps on the turf, but not so many top class ones. By my calculations in 2014 there were only 14 more valuable handicaps on turf in the UK than the Lincoln, with another nine having the same prize money. It remains one of the best couple of dozen handicaps of the turf season and, joy, now only four days away.
Gill what exactly does MEH mean
ps Stilvi ….your starting to worry me, I normally rant like this
It’s the verbal equivalent of a shrug of the shoulders. I don’t have an appropriate smilie to illustrate the point but this
is close enoughI'd like to live in a place where they cordon off swans...Thinking about it ,,,,the Bookies could insist on at least 1 AW meeting every day of the year …in order to pay the RR….maybe 2 meetings per day
So I would either ignore it , or give up
I couldn’t have put it better myself
I'd like to live in a place where they cordon off swans...Is it a northern word for Huh.?
Northern? Who are you calling northern? Norfolk born and bred, me
I'd like to live in a place where they cordon off swans...I am bothered. I like the signpost that the Lincoln is. Its the beginning and the end !! So its happiness and sadness. Sorry I almost slipped into prose then
I am bothered. I like the signpost that the Lincoln is. Its the beginning and the end !! So its happiness and sadness. Sorry I almost slipped into prose then
Prose? You mean verse, surely, don’t you?
Where’s Drone when we need him? Come on Drone, you can help us out !!
Whilst I agree that the flat season cannot compare with the highs of Cheltenham. Personally, I’m convinced most people who criticise the flat just don’t like the fact you have to work at it more.
Jump racing is more obvious, often what you see is what you get. Flat racing requires more of a thinking process and you have to counter far more nuances and angles into consideration. Critics either don’t have the skill set required to make this profitable/enjoyable, or they just cannot be bothered as it does require more time. 80 horses running on a card at Ascot, as opposed to 30 runners on a card at Cheltenham trials meeting.
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