The Lincoln Handicap Big Race Verdict: Shout out loud for 9/1 Crisford chance

Six places on the Sportsbook for Doncaster feature 

The Flat season on the turf returns to the ITV screen on Saturday and after months of All-Weather torment a full field of 22 are waiting for the Lincoln Handicap at 15:32, and on the Sportsbook a massive six places for each-way bets.

La Botte has been talked up as a "Group horse in a Handicap" by everyone with an opinion, which in turn means the price has completely gone. He was prey to some ill-luck at Wolverhampton last time in the trial and while he has the tools clearly to win and should produce a better sequel, it's a skinny enough price.

The form horses led by Eternal Force

William Haggas must be feeling slightly miffed it's not his runner being talked of as the "Group horse in a Handicap", but it's okay William, your reputation remains intact. There is not much between La Botte and Eternal Force with 120p plays 119p on Timeform ratings and Haggas' four-year-old has proved himself versatile.

He has won from the front, midfield and scored on good to firm and good to soft. The new mark of 96 however demands more but the chirpy Newmarket maestro won the race last season with Godwinson, while his 2019 Lincoln winner Addeybb went on to land four Group Ones.

Rogue Diplomat is another with a string of ones adorning his name, although the successes have been over 7f and his Timeform figure of 117 puts him slightly behind two horses that look more equipped for the mile than he.

It's good to see the Godolphin blue represented by Anno Domini and even better to assess the skills of Ryan Moore's son Toby - who is able to claim 7lbs on board a horse who was deemed worthy of running in a Group 1 as a two-year-old.

With two runs in Meydan with success, a mark of 100 is unlikely to be a great pre-cursor to a stack of wins and from a Timeform 109 rating has enough to find.

Market movers on the Sportsbook

Anno Domini has been popular on the Sportsbook with the 11/112.00 taken and a price of 17/29.50 was on offer at the time of writing on Friday morning.

Valvano for Ralph Beckett was a bigger positive from 16/117.00 into 10/111.00 and he's got dome decent handicap form to bring to the table, including a third over CD in heavy at the back-end of last term. Urban Lion and Tribal Chief are two others to note - the latter 12/113.00 into 10/111.00 for trainer David Menuisier.

Pace map and tactics

FRONT RUNNERS: Tarkhan, Eternal Force?

PROMINENT RACERS: Botanical, Great Acclaim, Anno Domini? Urban Lion, Tarkhan, Eternal Force, Valvano, Mirabeau? Orandi.

MID-DIVISION: Great Acclaim, Thunder Roar, Eternal Force? Valvano, Rogue Diplomat, Alpha Crucis, Bopedro, La Trinidad.

HOLD-UP: La Botte, Shout, Galeron, Rogue Diplomat, Greek Order, Mirabeau, Theoryofeverything, Tribal Chief, Bopedro, La Trinidad.

Each-way betting angles

From the pace map only two I have earmarked as natural front-runners while plenty will be prominent and ideally looking at the draw trends on good to soft going, you want a horse 10 or higher.

La Botte clearly has a pretty good pitch in 13 and with the way he travelled in the Britannia last term when second off 99, expect him to latch on to the speed and travel smoothly.

In stall 19, Shout's fourth in the Balmoral Handicap makes him of interest at 9/110.00. Thunder Roar's second to Ice Max in the Autumn Mile at York off 98 also reads well, and he stays 1m well in either soft or good and drawn in 17, I want to have him high on my each-way list with the six places but I make Shout my number one bet.

His fourth in the Balmoral is hot handicap form considering Holloway Boy was second off 110 and Simon and Ed Crisford have had a placed runner in this race in three of the last four editions.

Charlie Hills didn't enjoy the best of seasons last term and hopefully better is around the corner as Galeron with Jack Callan claiming 5lb is drawn well, although he is a character that often finds himself in trouble. He finished second at Doncaster over 1m in heavy in October (ahead of Valvano) and met trouble and finished fifth in the race last year.

Alan Dudman's 1-2-3-4

1) Shout

2) Thunder Roar

3) Galeron

4) La Botte

Now read more tips and previews for Saturday here!