Tag: lincoln handicap

Why is the Lincoln Handicap so called?

Since 1965, the Lincoln Handicap, which traditionally marks the start of the Flat season ‘proper’ in late March or early April, has been run over the straight mile on Turf Moor, Doncaster. However, the race was inaugurated, as the Lincoln Spring Handicap Stakes – later renamed the Lincolnshire Handicap – at Lincoln Racecourse, on the Carholme, on the western edge of the city of Lincoln, in 1853.

Aside from unfortunate interruptions for World War I and World War II, the Lincolnshire Handicap continued at Lincoln Racecourse for over a century. Indeed, in its heyday during the inter-war period, the Lincolnshire Handicap dominated the horse racing press for weeks on end and, along with the Grand National, formed the traditional ‘Spring Double’. Remarkably, the 1948 renewal of the Lincolnshire Handicap drew a field of 58 runners, which was a record under Jockey Club rules.

Nevertheless, in 1964, the Horse Race Betting Levy Board announced that it was withdrawing financial support for Lincoln Racecourse, thereby forcing its closure. The Lincolnshire Handicap, renamed the Lincoln Handicap, was transferred permanently to Doncaster Racecourse, some 40 miles away; in 2006 and 2007, the Lincoln Handicap was staged at Redcar and Newcastle, respectively, while Doncaster was closed for redevelopment, but has otherwise been held at the Yorkshire venue every year since. The Lincolnshire area remains popular though despite this transfer, with the likes of Georgian town Stamford being something of a jewel in the crown of the area.

What’s the best draw in the Lincoln Handicap?

The Lincoln Handicap, run over a straight mile at Doncaster in late March or early April, traditionally marks the start of the Flat season ‘proper’. The straight mile on Town Moor has no pronounced draw bias, but the Lincoln Handicap has a safety limit of 22, such that even a minor advantage or disadvantage – which can, in turn, be a factor of pace – can have a major effect on the outcome.

Granted that the Lincoln Handicap is run on a straight course, typically at an end-to-end gallop, any horse will struggle to make all the running, regardless of where on the course it is drawn. The same principle applies, albeit to a slightly lesser extent, to horses that like to race close to the pace and, irrespective of the draw, the winner is always likely to emerge from a group of patiently ridden horses that share the pace burden between them. That said, in recent years, thirteen, or 76%, of the last seventeen winners of the Lincoln Handicap were drawn in stall nine, or higher, so while it may not pay to be dogmatic about the draw, a middle to high draw does seem to be a good starting point.