Croupier and Awaal could mount a dual assault for the Simon and Ed Crisford team on Saturday’s Pertemps Network Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster.
The Ed Ware-owned Croupier and the Shaikh Duaj Al Khalifa-owned Awaal both hold entries in the mile event, with both having won on their final starts last term, at Chelmsford and Redcar respectively.
While Croupier is as big as 25/1 for the first headline event of the Flat season, Awaal is an 11/2 shot – although ground conditions will determine whether they line up on Town Moor or not.
Ed Crisford said: “We have two good chances, but we are obviously on weather-watch. There is a lot of rain due, which will be good for Awaal. We will just have to see how the next few days go.
“Croupier should be sneaking in off bottom weight nearly, but both of them have the right sort of profile for a Lincoln horse.”
Awaal had just one run between May and the end of October, when scoring with ease at Redcar.
Crisford explained: “Awaal needs soft ground and there was a heatwave. It was rock-hard ground in the summer everywhere, so we gave him a break because of that.
“He should be a bit of fun this year, because he is lightly-raced and has a big upside."
The Crisford pair feature among 69 contenders still in, with the William Haggas-trained Al Mubhir shading Awaal for ante-post favouritism at 4/1.
Wanees, Baradar, Atrium, Majestic and Jimi Hendrix are other key names in a race with a maximum field of 22. Those balloted out will have the option of running in the consolation Spring Mile on the same card, which is worth half of the Lincoln’s £150,000 value.
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