Edinburgh Knight primed for Lincoln battle
The Newmarket handler feels it is warranted after the five-year-old signed off last season in great form with wins at Ascot and in a Listed event at Kempton.
With regular rider Jim Crowley over in Dubai to ride Prohibit, d’Arcy has booked leading Irish jockey Pat Smullen.
“Everything has gone well, the horse is ready to go and we’ve had no problems,” said the trainer.
“The draw (stall two) is what it is. There’s nothing we can do about it and we just have to get on with it now.
“He’s got top weight, but he’s got top weight for a reason as he’s the best horse in the race.
“When Jim Crowley told me he’d probably be going to Dubai, I got in touch with Pat and it’s great we’ve been able to get him.
“He rode a Listed winner for me once and that horse hadn’t run for a few months, so hopefully we get the same result.”
Roger Varian's Eton Forever has headed the ante-post market almost since the betting opened.
He won the consolation race for the Lincoln, the Spring Mile, in devastating fashion last season and Varian feels he is in the same sort of shape.
“When he’s on-song I think he’s as good a horse as when he won the consolation race last year,” he told At The Races.
“I don’t know whether he has improved but he’s had quite a smooth preparation. I’m happy with the way he’s moving.
“He’s suited to the flat, easy mile at Doncaster. That course on quickish ground suits him.”
This time last year William Haggas was preparing Fury for a crack at Frankel in the 2000 Guineas.
He finished an honourable fifth there but he lost his way later in the campaign and is on something of a retrieval mission.
“He’s in good form, he’s moving well and I’m very happy with him,” said Haggas.
“The gallop at Wolverhampton did him a lot of good but I’d love a drop of rain. His chance would be better if it rains.
“He was fifth in the Guineas, albeit a long fifth, beaten a long way and was then second in the Herron Stakes and has slipped down the handicap so he does look well handicapped.”
Chris Dwyer's Mia's Boy has won three times at Doncaster and the versatile eight-year-old has been in good heart on the all-weather recently.
“He’s all ready to go and I’m happy enough with his draw (stall 14), as we think they’ll race up the middle,” said Dwyer.
“He’s run well in the Lincoln before and seems to like Doncaster as he’s won three times there and finished second twice. He’s a hold-up horse so we’ll drop him in and see what happens. He’s an eight-year-old now but he’s still enthusiastic and when he’s right, he’s still a pretty good horse.”
