Racing Tips: Ballard Down can get up in the Lincoln Handicap

Tips for Saturday’s ITV Racing

The flat racing season takes its bow at Doncaster on Saturday afternoon as 22-runners go to post in the Lincoln Handicap.

Michael Bell’s charge Fire Brigade has been backed into favouritism for the renewal after punters latched onto Ryan Moore’s impressive performance at the meeting last year.

The jockey landed a treble 12 months ago and is booked to ride the favourite in the feature this time around. The Coral News Team, however, think there may be a shock on the cards.

There are tips for that race, two others from Doncaster and three from a jumps card at Newbury, in this weekend’s tips…

Ballard Down on the up

Lincoln winners rarely come at a single-figure price. Only three favourites have got home first since 2002, while double-figure runners have succeeded in the last seven renewals. With that in mind, it could pay to look slightly further down the card.

One that leaps off the page is Ballard Down. William Knight’s charge won twice and was runner-up twice in five starts last season. His last victory at Newmarket came at the expense of subsequent Grade 3 winner Master The World, too.

He looked impressive on soft ground last time and with the distance also in his favour, there’s no reason the Irish-bred raider can’t run a big race here. A rail side draw should also help his cause.

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