Tag Archive for: Lincoln Handicap

Connections backing Jimi Hendrix to fire in Lincoln

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Jimi Hendrix has struck all the right chords in his preparation for Saturday’s Pertemps Network Lincoln at Doncaster and features among a maximum field off 22 on Town Moor.

The Ralph Beckett-trained four-year-old will step into the spotlight with a few questions to answer after three sub-par performances, which followed his fine third in the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot and subsequent victory in the bet365 Mile at Newmarket.

Owned by Chelsea Thoroughbreds’ Purple Haze syndicate, connections feel he is a big winner waiting to happen and he will break from stall eight.

Former Channel 4 Racing presenter Emma Spencer, who is managing director and racing manager of the Chelsea Thoroughbreds syndicates, said that Jimi Hendrix is better than he showed in his last three runs.

“He probably had excuses to be fair,” she said. “He went to Goodwood in a valuable handicap and was drawn 21 of 22 and that was complete waste of time. He didn’t have a hard race, just an impossible task.

“Then when he went to the Cambridgeshire, Rob Hornby got off him and felt that he didn’t like being crowded. It was the same big field in the Britannia, but in that race he ended up making the running.

“Everywhere he was in the Cambridgeshire, he was surrounded and Rob felt he froze a bit. Then when he got complete daylight, he got going again. We thought he had a big chance in that.

“After that he went to Newbury and the ground was absolutely bottomless.”

Jimi Hendrix, a son of New Bay, was gelded after his final run last term and has been working well ahead of his drop back to a mile for his return.

Spencer added: “Sometimes it makes them concentrate a bit more. I’m a fan of gelding something that doesn’t need to be a colt, full stop. You see improvement in every way.

“I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him and as a four-year-old, we’d hope he will have a good year.

“To be fair, this year his work has been really good and Ralph couldn’t be more happy with him. He won his maiden at Doncaster, and while there is rain forecast, he goes in soft ground.

“He’s always a horse that Ralph has loved. It is well within him to win a race of this nature then step up.

“Things just really didn’t go his way at the back end of last season and the Lincoln is a really good starting point for him.”

The William Haggas duo of Al Mubhir and Montassib have been drawn in stalls 10 and 21 respectively, with Charlie Fellowes’ Atrium in stall 13.

Awaal (17) and Wanees (22) are also among the leading hopes, but John and Thady Gosden did not declare Saga.

Jack Channon looking forward to landmark day with Majestic

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Majestic started his racing career last March as a four-year-old running in a Kempton bumper. He ended it winning the Cambridgeshire.

On Saturday, he will run at Doncaster in either the Pertemps Network Lincoln or the Spring Mile as one of the first turf horses saddled by Jack Channon.

This is his first season since taking over the licence from his famous father, ex-Southampton and England striker Mick.

Mick Channon enjoyed victory on the biggest stages as a trainer
Mick Channon enjoyed victory on the biggest stages as a trainer (David Davies/PA)

He is hopeful that Majestic, owned and bred by Nick Hitchins, can follow last season’s vintage, Johan, who gave Channon senior his first success in the race.

Majestic ran eight times on the Flat last summer following his opening effort under the winter code.

He either won or was placed in six of those and capped off a great season by scoring on the Rowley Mile over nine furlongs under 5lb claimer Aidan Keeley, grandson of Classic-winning rider Brian Rouse, who was having his first ride at HQ.

“Majestic had an unconventional season but a very good one,” said Channon.

“He had a low weight in the Cambridgeshire and so we had to give someone a chance, and Aidan was the lucky man to get on board, I suppose.”

A five-year-old son of Conduit, Majestic is not guaranteed to get a run in the British Flat season’s first major handicap.

“We don’t know if we will get in, we need five to come out and it is touch and go. If we do get in, we are really looking forward to it. The horse is in great form,” added the West Ilsley handler.

“The style of the race will suit and he won’t mind the ground, so we will go there with a great chance, but if he doesn’t get in, we will go to the Spring Mile and the same applies. I think we’ll go there with a solid chance.”

Channon knows he has a big task taking the reins from his father, who scored 21 goals in 46 games for England between 1972-77 and remains Southampton’s all-time leading scorer.

Jack Channon looking forward to filling some big boots
Jack Channon looking forward to filling some big boots (Simon Marper/PA)

Having had a second hugely successful career, which included training eight Group One winners in Britain and an Irish Classic, the 74-year-old has decided to take a back seat.

“It’s big shoes to fill, 100 per cent,” said Channon, who has already posted six winners at a 20 per cent strike-rate on the all-weather. “Dad will be involved still. It is a team effort.

“All the big targets we want to be winning. We want to be competing at the top table and the Lincoln is just hopefully the first of many.

“I’m very excited and just raring to get going. A lot of the hard work has been done over the winter and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are just ready to get the racing going and see where we are and how good we are.”

Croupier and Awaal offer Crisfords chance of Lincoln gains

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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 a general 5-1 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.”

Ed and Simon Crisford could be double-handed in the Lincoln
Ed and Simon Crisford could be double-handed in the Lincoln (John Walton/PA)

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.