Dwyer plumps for Teddy in Lincoln

Martin Dwyer has elected to ride Our Teddy for Andrew Balding in the Freephone Stanleybet Lincoln at Doncaster on Saturday after partnering the gelding in work at Kingsclere this morning.

He believes Our Teddy will go well in the first leg of the ‘Spring Double’, providing he is not fazed by the big field, given that much of his mount’s best form for his previous trainer was gained in small fields.

“He gave me a good feel and seems fresh and well and is certainly fit,” he said. “I think he has the potential to be the best handicapped of Andrew’s three entries.”

Balding is equally bullish about Our Teddy.

He said: “He rather lost his way last year, having run extremely well in the Dante as well as winning a conditions race at Doncaster for George Margarson.

“He’s been gelded and was sent to me with the idea that a change of scenery would help.”

With Irony unlikely to get into the race, Balding’s other interest will lie with Pentecost, who won the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot as a three-year-old.

The trainer added: “Irony will either run in the Lincoln consolation race or go to Kempton.

“Pentecost is proven in big handicaps but Our Teddy would, in my view, be the one if he reproduces his best two-year-old form.”

Dwyer, whose 92 total for the 2003 season included successes for Balding on Casual Look in the Oaks and Phoenix Reach in the Canadian International, spent the winter riding in India, where he finished second in the Indian Derby.

Commenting on his plans for the new turf season, Dwyer said: “I’m based at Kingsclere but also ride out two mornings a week for Marcus Tregoning in Lambourn and they both have 130 horses, which gives me plenty to look forward to.

“My goal is to reach the century mark which would beat last season’s total of 92.”