Bronze Angel must defy weight to claim Lincoln crown at Doncaster
Marcus Tregoning’s stable stalwart will have to defy the welter burden of 9st 11lb if he is to add the first leg of the spring double to his two wins last autumn.
Ocean Tempest, the 20-1 winner of the Town Moor feature for John Ryan 12 months ago, will try to become the first horse since Babur 57 years ago to land back-to-back Lincoln victories over the straight mile. All of the leading ante-post fancies have been declared, including market leader Mange All, trained by William Haggas.
Gm Hopkins, Zarwaan, Moohaarib and Gabrial’s Kaka from Richard Fahey’s stable are among other runners with a major chance.
Withdrawals from connections of horses that were guaranteed a place were Stuccodor, Empire Storm, Boomshackerlacker, Penitent and Red Avenger.
The horses who narrowly missed a spot in the main event have the consolation of going for the Betway Spring Mile earlier on the card.
The draw was conducted live on At the Races by trainer and former England international Mick Channon and West Ham striker Andy Carroll.
Channon was happy with stall nine handed to his runner, the aptly-named Lincoln.
“We don’t know what the weather is going to do the next two days,” he said.
“Normally you want middle to high when the ground is good, when it’s soft you probably want low.
“We’re probably where you’d want to be — in the middle and we can go either way.”
Gabrial’s Kaka was handed the highest draw in 22, with owner Dr Marwan Koukash’s other hopeful, Gabrial, coming from stall 15.
Trainer George Baker’s two runners came out after each other, with Jack’s Revenge and Belgian Bill drawing 17 and two respectively.
Ocean Tempest will race from stall 10, having won from number three last year.
Meanwhile, John Quinn has decided against giving Classic hopeful The Wow Signal a racecourse gallop at Wetherby today.
Quinn feels his Coventry Stakes and Prix Morny winner does not need to go to the West Yorkshire track as he is pleased with the way the colt is progressing ahead of his racecourse return.
The plan remains to give The Wow Signal his seasonal debut in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury on April 18 before going for the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 2.
“We’ve decided against it. We’re not taking him to Wetherby,” said Quinn.
“We’re pleased with him at the moment, so the intention is to run him in the Greenham. We will see how he is in the next three weeks, but the plan is to give him a prep run at Newbury.”
