2026 Doncaster Lincoln Meeting Preview – DS
2026 Doncaster Lincoln Meeting Preview
Dave Stevos’ decision to wait for Sunday’s flat card at Naas paid dividends thanks to Independent Expert who stayed on best to win at 25/1. This weekend, we are back in the UK for the 2026 Doncaster Lincoln meeting, Dave’s preview and tips are below.
1.20 Doncaster – Brocklesby Stakes (Class 2)
We’ve had a few near misses in this race, none nearer than our 50/1 fancy last year Son Of Sarabi, who was denied victory by a nose by the now sadly departed Amo horse, Norman’s Cay. This has become an important race for Amo and they are doubly represented here by two horses by a sire that won the race for them, Persian Force.
Retained jockey Rowan Scott is on Blixen Force, and he’s been made the 15/8 fav. Former retained rider Kevin Stott is on Ocean Club, and he’s 8/1. They are both trained by Robson Aguiar and he narrowly missed out on landing the opening 2yo race of the season at the Curragh (thanks to our 28/1 selection Ruler’s Control). Can we find something to upset the Amo applecart again?
Best Bred
The best-bred horse in the race is probably Dance A Jig, but he hasn’t been missed by the bookies. However, this is a race that isn’t always won by the best bred horse, it is won by horses that come to hand early, and Bill Turner, after whom this year’s race has been named after his passing last year, was a master at getting one ready for this race.
His daughter, Kathy, has taken over training duties at his Somerset based yard and she has shown that she has learnt plenty from her Dad. She’s already had four winners (from 23 runners) over jumps and she’s also had four winners on the Flat (from just 21 runners).
She landed her first 2yo winner in a nursery at Bath last October and surely, she will have been eyeing up this race for a long time. She originally had three entered and the one that she has decided to run is the aptly named Nevernotrememberu.
February Filly
She’s a February filly by Caturra and from what I’ve been hearing, Caturra’s stock are impressing the trainers that have them. Her Dansili dam is unraced, but she’s a half-sister to Bold Spirit, who placed at 2yo and her grand-dam Far Shores is a half-sister to Danehill, so the pedigree is there.
One thing for sure is that this filly will be trying and Laura Coughlan has finished in frame in nine of her eleven rides for Turner (winning on three). At odds of 33/1, Nevernotrememberu is this year’s each way Brocklesby selection.
2026 Doncaster Lincoln meeting Tip: Nevernotrememberu e/w @ 33/1 (4 places)
1.50 Doncaster – Cammidge Trophy Stakes (Listed)
I was sure My Mate Alfie would be a G1 sprinter for Ger Lyons last season but for whatever reason, the son of Dark Angel never hit those heights. He was sent to the H-I-T sales and current connections splashed out a cool 250k for the gelding. They’ll be hoping to recoup some of that outlay here but surely, they’ll have much bigger days in mind for their new acquisition.
The 2025 and 2024 winners, Spycatcher and Montassib, are back to try and win this listed race again and we also have Jasour, a horse that we have backed more than once. He’s really talented when he puts his mind to it but I’m not sure he wants ground with soft in the description.
No Ground Concerns
One horse that won’t have any issues on the ground is Annaf and I’m surprised he’s as big as 12/1 in a place. He was a G3 winner at Ascot in October and he’s had a recent enough run in Saudi so he won’t lack for fitness. The son of Muhaarar won the Portland Handicap on his only previous start at the track and he’s usually competitive when he runs in listed company.
Mick Appleby’s horses are running well at the moment and Harry Davies has a decent strike rate of 11 wins from 71 rides (plus 28 top 4s) when riding for the stable. A rating of 106 does leave him with a couple of pounds to find with the top three but hopefully he can make his race fitness count. At 12/1, Annaf is the e/w pick.
2026 Doncaster Lincoln meeting Tip: Annaf e/w @ 12/1 NAP
2.25 Doncaster – Spring Mile Handicap (Class 2)
We were awarded this race in the stewards’ room last year, with the 50/1 shot Pearl Eye landing us a big winner. He was drawn in stall 4 and while it is not impossible to win from a wide draw, a lower draw is usually a positive in this consolation race for the Lincoln.
Drawn in stall 1 this year is the Irish raider Far From Dandy. He’s trained by Stephen Thorne and he’ll be ridden by Colin Keane. This horse was on my shortlist for the big one but I ended up going with Dashing Darcey. The Spring Double curse is strong because Dashing Darcey wasn’t even declared and Far From Dandy didn’t get in, missing out by two.
Racefit
However, I am going to back him here. He is racefit, having run a nice race to finish fourth in the Irish Lincolnshire on bottomless ground at the Curragh 13 days ago. A winner on good to firm when trained by George Boughey, this quicker ground should be absolutely fine for him and my main concern for him is that he will need luck in running.
Like Pearl Eye last year, he’s a hold up sort and it’ll be up to Keane to try and navigate a passage from probably last to first. He runs off the same mark as at the Curragh, so we know he can be competitive off that rating and I think the flat, galloping track at Doncaster will suit him. At odds of 14/1, Far From Dandy is worth chancing e/w. Hopefully he gets a clear run.
2026 Doncaster Lincoln meeting Tip: Far From Dandy e/w @ 14/1 (5 places)
2.57 Doncaster – Doncaster Mile Stakes (Listed)
Just five run here so we won’t be getting involved. Our old pal Docklands is 7/4 but I would imagine this is just a stepping stone for him. His main target will surely be the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot in June so I’d tread with caution if you are considering backing him. On the figures he should win, but I doubt connections will want him to have a hard race.
2026 Doncaster Lincoln meeting Tip: No bet
3.13 Kempton – Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes (Listed)
We nicked a nice 50s place with Ed Walker’s Rose Prick in this in 2024 and last year, she just missed out on the place money again, finishing fifth. Ed Walker runs two this year and while Never Let Go is shorter in the betting, I am going to take a chance on American Gal.
Rated 101, the daughter of Kameko has already earned precious black type, finishing a neck second in an Ascot G3 in July (1m, good). She didn’t back that up in two subsequent runs but they came on easy ground, which she probably didn’t appreciate.
She has run twice here before, winning a 1m C&D maiden on debut and then finishing a close third in a conditions race won by Glittering Surf, with whom she is 3lb better off here. Glittering Surf is 8/1, American Gal is 20/1. At the prices, I know who I’d rather be on.
2026 Doncaster Lincoln meeting Tip: American Gal e/w @ 20/1 NB
3.32 Doncaster – Lincoln Handicap (Heritage)
I don’t know what it is about this race, I just can’t seem to crack the Lincoln code. I’ve already tipped a loser for this year’s renewal and the race hasn’t even been run yet! Typical.
The one I’ll put the Stevos’ hex on this year is the Richard Hannon trained Christian David. By Profitable, this 5yo has been written off after a poor run in the trial at Wolverhampton. However, he may well have needed that run after a three month break and he should be much sharper now.
His last turf win came over 7f at Newbury on good to soft ground so conditions are fine, and he has won over a mile before, so there are no concerns regarding the trip. That Haydock win came off 88 and he won off 90 at Lingfield on his penultimate start, so his current mark of 92 may not be beyond him.
Trouble In Running
When he wins, he usually finds trouble in running and given the size of this field, that is likely to happen here. He’s the right age (8 of the last 9 winners were aged either 4yo or 5yo) and his rider Alec Voikhansky, who has won twice on him, should be able to drop him in and get cover from his draw in stall 11.
He’s the type of horse that doesn’t do a whole lot when he hits the front, but he seems to enjoy weaving his way through traffic and if he’s on a going day and Voikhansky can time his challenge right, hopefully Christian David can stay on late and get into the money at odds of 66/1.
