Simon Holt is back to preview the ITV Racing action this weekend and he's backing Karl Burke to land the William Hill Lincoln.
Racing betting tips: Saturday March 29
1pt win Ocean Of Dreams in 1.50 Doncaster at 11/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes, BetVictor)
1pt win Who's Glen in 2.05 Kempton at 5/1 (General)
1pt win Mount Atlas in 2.40 Kempton at 11/2 (William Hill)
1pt win Dancing Gemini in 3.00 Doncaster at 100/30 (William Hill)
1pt win Native Warrior in 3.35 Doncaster at 10/1 (General)
Following decent market support, NATIVE WARRIOR has some bookmakers a bit worried ahead of Saturday's William Hill Lincoln Handicap on ITV4 and it's easy to understand why.
The Karl Burke-trained, Wathnan Racing-owned son of Wootton Bassett has run just seven times and shaped like a future Group horse on a couple of occasions last season, notably when finishing third (but beating his group) in the Britannia at Royal Ascot having previously been beaten just over three lengths by the subsequent 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech at Kempton.
Native Warrior ran another good race after Royal Ascot when catching the very useful handicapper Paradias on a going day at Goodwood where, after making the running, he kept on well carrying plenty of weight for a three-year-old.
He was probably over the top when beaten over the Lincoln course and distance in September and now returns having been gelded in the hands of Kieran Shoemark.
Hopefully his high draw will be favourable but the stalls position is always an imponderable over the straight mile on Town Moor.
Wathnan number one rider James Doyle has opted to take the mount on Midnight Gun who has apparently done well since last term, and he certainly warrants consideration on his course and distance second to Harper's Ferry in October (soft) for which he was given a steep enough 5lb rise.
Meanwhile, two others I quite like against the field are Apiarist whose latest seven-furlong win at Southwell could hardly be working out any better and Two Tempting, a five-time winner last season, who shaped nicely on his prep run for this when fifth to Symbol Of Light in the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton.
In the William Hill Bet £10 Get £10 Spring Mile Handicap (the Lincoln consolation race), the low-drawn OCEAN OF DREAMS looks an intriguing possibility on his first start since joining Archie Watson from Aidan O'Brien.
This time last year, the well bred son of Fastnet Rock was very highly regarded at Ballydoyle but looked a slow learner despite having won his only race as a two-year-old by six lengths.
Ocean Of Dreams finished lame in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown on his reappearance for O'Brien and then had just one more run when finishing fourth at Gowran Park behind the useful fillies Fleur De Chine and Galileo Dame.
Gelded, dropped heavily in class here off a mark of 90 with cheek pieces fitted, he is potentially thrown-in if Watson has found the key.
ITV4 Selections: Norman’s Cay 1.15 Doncaster, OCEAN OF DREAMS 1.50 Doncaster, WHO'S GLEN 2.05 Kempton, Spycatcher 2.25 Doncaster, MOUNT ATLAS 2.40 Kempton, DANCING GEMINI 3.00 Doncaster, Soprano 3.15 Kempton, NATIVE WARRIOR 3.35 Doncaster
Horses with a history of running well fresh are always worth a second look at this very early stage of a new Flat turf season and this is one reason why DANCING GEMINI is an eye catching runner in the William Hill Doncaster Mile.
The son of Camelot ran the race of his life when a slightly unlucky second behind Metropolitan in the French 2000 Guineas first time out last term and then ran in the Derby (didn't stay), the Eclipse and the Queen Elizabeth 11 Stakes in which he finished a very creditable fourth behind Charyn, Facteur Cheval and Tamfana.
That latter piece of Group One form could be good enough here, dropping significantly in class, and it was heartening to see trainer Roger Teal have a winner at Kempton on Wednesday.
Another trainer who looks like running into some serious form is Andrew Balding who sent out three winners in two days earlier in the week, and two of them at Kempton where he is fancied to take the first two races on Saturday with WHO'S GLEN and MOUNT ATLAS.
The first named steps up to two miles for the first time in the Virgin Bet Queen's Prize Handicap and certainly looked like a solid stayer when bolting up by 13 lengths over a mile-and-three-quarters in deep ground at Chester last September.
Overall, this lightly-raced four-year-old boasts a progressive profile in just seven career starts and, well related out of the smart Who's Steph, he could be one to follow in the colours of George Strawbridge.
Mount Atlas, who runs in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Rosebery Handicap, was also progressive last season, particularly so on his last two appearances when winning a strong-looking handicap at Ascot in July before finishing second, four lengths clear of the third, to Sun God (fifth in the Melrose at York on his previous start) at Newmarket in October.
A good traveller, Mount Atlas has had one less outing than his stable-companion, looks quite obviously open to further improvement and ran well in a decent novice stakes on the Kempton course last July.
Published at 1400 GMT on 28/03/25
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