Gosdens trgeting Lincoln Handicap success with Haqeeqy at Doncaster

Doncaster hopefuls: John Gosden (right) and his assistant Thady Gosden are due to run market leader Haqeeqy in the Lincoln Handicap on Town Moor. Photo credit should read: Edward Whitaker/PA Wire

Haqeeqy bids to be a first big-race winner for father-and-son partnership John and Thady Gosden, with their dual licence for the start of the new Flat season.

He is drawn towards the middle in stall 10 on Saturday.

Haqeeqy has had just five races – while fellow four-year-old Eastern World is also unexposed, having had only seven starts for trainer Charlie Appleby.

A 5lb penalty for winning at Meydan in February ensured he got in the race, and he will race from stall 19.

The weights are headed by another four-year-old, Johan, trained by William Haggas – who has won the big mile handicap four times.

Richard Hughes has a leading contender in Brentford Hope, also four. He is drawn three, and ended last season with victory at Haydock.

Others prominent in the ante-post betting include Karl Burke’s Lincoln Trial winner Born To Be Alive (20), Charlie Fellowes’s King Ottokar (four) and Grove Ferry (12) from Andrew Balding’s yard.

Owen Burrows, who has a Lincoln contender in the shape of Danyah (stall nine), admits he is “going to be struggling” to have Albasheer ready for the Qipco 2000 Guineas after the colt suffered a setback.

The injury is currently under investigation, but Burrows feels the Classic at Newmarket on May 1 will come too soon.

“Unfortunately he’s had a little bit of a niggle. We’re just in the process of investigating exactly what is bothering him,” said the Lambourn handler.

“There are no immediate plans for him at the moment. He certainly won’t be making a Guineas trial – and I’d say it would be highly unlikely, depending on what we find, that he’d make the Guineas. We’re getting pretty close. It’s very recent, and we’re still in the investigating stages.”

Albasheer looked a potentially classy three-year-old, having made a winning racecourse debut at Doncaster in July before going on to finish second in the Champagne Stakes and sixth in the Dewhurst.

Burrows had also been happy with his progress over the winter.

“I had been very pleased with him, so it’s very disappointing.”

“Fingers crossed it’s nothing too serious – but with the timing of it, we’re going to be struggling.

“Ideally, the plan was to try for the Craven or the Greenham. He won’t be making them, and I won’t be rushing him just to make a Guineas.

“He’s a proper nice horse, (and) he’s going to want a bit of time. How much time, we don’t know yet.”

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