Doncaster review: Johan graciously turns away his rivals in the SBK Lincoln

SBK Lincoln day at Doncaster had a lot to live up to. The bar for SBK-sponsored horse racing fixtures was set extremely high thanks to a thrilling conclusion to the Clarence House Chase between star two-mile performers Shishkin and Energumene in January, and matching that was going to prove difficult.

However, from a personal point of view, Saturday was one of the most memorable days on a racecourse I’ve ever had. There are four things I look for when I go racing - a great atmosphere, exciting racing, winning bets and warm weather - and there was no hesitation as I checked each box. Despite the eight-hour round trip involving the M1, the afternoon was pretty faultless. 

The return of the flat season goes hand-in-hand with a new-found excitement for racing. Variety is the spice of life and, once the Cheltenham festival is over, I tend to find that jumps racing goes rather stale (aside from the Grand National meeting at Aintree, of course). So it was a pleasure to not only witness a rip-roaring edition of the SBK Lincoln, but also a plethora of young talents on their way to the top.

Let’s begin with the featured race itself, the Lincoln. As I mentioned in my race preview on Friday, there aren’t many better ways to kickstart a campaign than a competitive heritage handicap and it certainly delivered. 

After analysing the race for several hours on Thursday morning, I convinced myself that they would split into at least two groups with the three unexposed four-year-old favourites (all drawn low) likely to head towards the far side. That theory blew up in smoke after 100 yards as the field, led by the lightly raced Saleymm and Johan, congregated in the middle of the track.

There was a significant advantage to those who raced on the speed all day and that certainly panned out in the Lincoln with very few horses able to make ground in the closing stages - third-home Rogue Bear’s performance can be marked up as he was last at the halfway stage. Put him in your tracker! 

Saleymm traded at short odds with two furlongs to run, but it was the experienced Johan, who I highlighted as a recommended bet in the SBK Betting Podcast and in the preview at 50/1, that stayed on best under Silvestre de Sousa - a big winner for the Brazilian-born jockey after a sub-par year in 2021. Johan’s victory only bettered what was already an excellent day.

Ryan records Doncaster hat-trick

Although De Sousa was great aboard Johan, the mythical riding award of the day went to Rossa Ryan. The 21-year-old jockey, who I’d happily argue is the best in the weighing room in Britain right now, glowed in the Doncaster sunshine as he partnered three winners on the card - Persian Force, Arthur’s Realm and Chindit.

The latter was statistically the classiest runner on the card with an official rating of 112, but it was Persian Force, who won the Brocklesby in a hack canter, who really caught my imagination. An attractive son of precocious sire Mehmas, Persian Force walked around like a seasoned pro in the preliminaries and fairly blew his rivals out the water on the track.

A quick catch-up with Ryan before the trophy presentation led me to believe that there was plenty more to come from Richard Hannon’s chestnut, too. Very few 225,000gns purchases run in the opening two-year-old contest of the year. That was a sign in itself.

Cammidge Trophy favourites should eye contrasting routes

From a well-backed favourite to a rank outsider as Volatile Analyst landed a nice touch for the bookmakers in the Listed Cammidge Trophy. Those aboard the well-punted Diligent Harry must have thought they were on a winner - everything went his way, but he didn’t enter the winner’s enclosure.

Perhaps a drop to five-furlongs will see him at his best, while my fancy, Garrus, shaped as though he was feeling the rust after a winter off and may prefer a step up to seven furlongs. Had the Charlie Hills-trained grey found another gear and landed the prize, I might have stayed in the beautiful Doncaster Hilton for a second night! 

Saturday marked my first trip up to Yorkshire for a day at the races and, given I have a strong desire to visit each and every racetrack in England, I’m sure it won’t be long before I return.