Saturday Racing Tips: Kate Tracey likes a dark horse in the Lincoln

It's officially the start of the flat season on Saturday with the turf opener at Doncaster which stages its Lincoln meeting. This may well be a learning weekend with the bigger picture of the flat season in mind. However, I've still found two bets at Doncaster with a couple of fairly priced runners.

Don't fear jump fans, we are still in the crescendo of national hunt season and as such, I have a bet at Kelso to keep us rolling after Cheltenham.

The eclectic mix continues at Kempton on the all-weather, where I thought I'd make it a full house of disciplines, and I have a bet there too.

Bielsa can gain another course and distance success

We begin at Doncaster with the Listed Cammidge Trophy Stakes over 6f at 13:50 which is a very open contest. When sifting back through the trends of this race, it certainly is a disappointing turnout with just seven runners, which is the smallest field size for the contest since Palace Street in 1991.

Nonetheless, the line-up we have is very interesting. I'm keen to side with Bielsa who, despite being a seven-year-old, looks to have every chance. This race tends to go to upwardly mobile four-year-olds, but I'm not sold on the two runners of that age in this year's race.

This race has gone to older horses as recently as 2018 when it was won by an eight-year-old in the form of Perfect Pasture.

The race tends to go to horses rated 100 or just higher. Middle to high draws are favoured, but that may be less significant in this smaller runner field. Ideally, this should be a horse's reappearance start with their final outing coming at least four months prior. It is also a positive if the horse ran in a listed contest last time out.

Bielsa may not tick the age box but he covers most other bases. He was a good winner of last year's Ayr Gold Cup where he raced alone against the standside rail. All the stars certainly aligned for him on that occasion before he found Group 3 company too hot on his next start. He signed off last season on a lesser note in the Listed Wentworth Stakes over this course and distance but can bounce back after a break.

He has a good record fresh and is already a dual course and distance winner with optimal conditions here. Bielsa is worth chancing to put his best foot forwards again.

O'Meara debutant looks a dark horse in Lincoln

It's the big one up next in the form of the Lincoln which is a Heritage Handicap over 1m at 15:35. Unsurprisingly, it's four-year-olds to the fore in this year's race where horses of that age have a very good record. Nowadays, the Lincoln goes to progressive horses who will make up into Group performers.

Therefore, it would come as no surprise to see the likes of Mujtaba, Modern News or Saleymm win as they all fit that profile of potential group horses in a handicap. However, there is one I'm very interested in at an each-way price. That runner is Darkness who makes his stable debut for David O'Meara.

Darkness was previously based with Jean-Cloud Rouget where he had just nine career starts, winning three times. We've seen the Lincoln won by stable debutants before with Bravery winning in 2017 on his debut for David O'Meara. Bravery joined from Aidan O'Brien and it looks fascinating that O'Meara is attempting a similar feat with Darkness.

Darkness is also well drawn in 20 where this race tends to go to horses drawn middle to high. The concern is the potential pace of this race but I'm hoping Marie's Diamond will set the fractions for the middle to high draws.

Darkness is another four-year-old as well of course which is a big positive and he's worth chancing at 11.010/1.

Rae looks a fair price

I promised some jump action in this week's column and that's what I'm aiming to deliver at Kelso with a Mares' Novices' Handicap Hurdle over 2m at 15:15.

Theatre Glory looks to have very evident claims to continue her progression for Nicky Henderson but she is priced accordingly.

Instead, I'm taking a chance on Rae Des Champs at 11.010/1 to outrun her price in the hope the race works out in her favour. Rose Dobbin has had a very good season with her novice hurdlers and Rae Des Champs has been one of them.

This mare won on her debut in an Irish point-to-point where she beat the now Gordon Elliott-trained, 112-rated Motown Maggie into second. Rae Des Champs was picked up for £90,000 subsequently and shaped with plenty of promise on rules and stable debut where she was given an education as much as anything. She built on that run when a close enough fourth behind the smart Lady Adare at Newcastle in January.

It was good to see her get her rewards for her likeable attitude last time out when winning at Musselburgh over 1m7f124y which was a track and trip that shouldn't have suited her.

Dobbin's mare looks overpriced to at least reach the frame.

Chance two in Queen's Prize

The final race I like the look of comes at Kempton in the form of the Queen's Prize Handicap which is a 0-100 Handicap over 2m at 14:40 where I'm chancing two at each-way prices.

The first consideration is Moliwood who fits perfectly into the rating bracket I want for this race on a mark of 90. It's firstly worth looking at horses rated 84-94, aged four to six. Prominent racers understandably, have a good record over this trip with the draw not playing a significant role. There aren't many obvious trends to follow for this race but Moliwood certainly has a positive profile.

Moliwood had a very good campaign last season where he won three of his nine starts including a career best performance last time out over this course and distance. He clearly comes into this race fit and well and can post another career best off just a 2lb higher mark.

The other horse to consider doesn't have as obvious a profile as Moliwood, but he shouldn't be forgotten about despite his less inspiring form figures. That runner is Hiroshima who makes his return on the back of a 308-day absence. His overall record fresh wouldn't be convincing but he did win on the back of a six month break in 2019.

Hiroshima was a good winner of his penultimate start at Ascot in a Class 3 Apprentice Handicap over 2m in May. He couldn't back the win up but still ran with credit when upped to a Class 2 on his next and final outing. He appeared to struggle in the heavy ground at Haydock on that occasion but remains unexposed on the all-weather.

He's running off a 1lb lower mark on this return. It's a feasible mark for him judged on that penultimate start. The trip is fine and he's a fair price at 17.016/1 to chance he'll be ready after an absence.