Chazzesmee chases historic double as Ireland aims to end 40-year wait for Lincoln winner

You have to go back 40 years to find an Irish-trained winner of the Lincoln in the Walter Swinburn-ridden Saving Mercy, who obliged for Dermot Weld at odds of 14-1.

The Irish are double-handed in a bid to turn back the clock, notably with Chazzesmee who is out to make history as the first horse to complete the Irish-English Lincoln double in the same season after his triumph at the Curragh on Monday.

Sent off the well-backed 3-1 favourite, the Fozzy Stack-trained six-year-old swept from off the pace to collar Smooth Tom on ground described as heavy.

Handed a 5lb penalty for that, Chazzesmee has also been handed a far-side draw in stall three. The money continued to come for Chazzesmee on Friday when he was cut to 9-2 joint-second favourite (from 11-2) by William Hill.

Stack said: "He came out of the Curragh fine but we won't really know for sure until he runs. There might be some improvement to come given it was his first run of the season, but on the other hand it was a bit of a slog at the Curragh."

Twice a Lincoln winner as a jockey, Johnny Murtagh tries to get on the board as a trainer by sending over Blues Emperor, the mount of Ben Coen who was among the winners at Wolverhampton on Tuesday.

RP Recommends: how to bet on the Lincoln

By Tom Park, audience editor

The Lincoln is the first big handicap of the Flat season, and it is also one of the most competitive, with Sky Bet offering an enhanced seven places on their each way terms.

This is obviously a good offer, but their prices are considerably shorter than most firms. As a consequence, I would instead advise to bet with bet365, who are six places but also offer Best Odds Guaranteed from 8am. Prices often fluctuate in this race, particularly before the off, so BOG is a good concession to have.

I fancy Blues Emperor for the Johnny Murtagh team. He beat the favourite Chazzesmee by a length last season when receiving 3lb. They run off the same weight here and he looks the each-way value.

What they say

David Menuisier, trainer of Migration
It won't be an easy task for a repeat win off top weight as he lost his way a bit afterwards last year. We know he goes well fresh, however, and from his draw in stall 11 he can go both ways.

Silvestre de Sousa, rider of Johan
He's a horse I know well having won the race on him a couple of years ago and I was delighted to get the call. Jack [Channon, trainer] looks as if he’s improved the horse and as we are drawn in the middle [12] we can go where we want.

Karl Burke, trainer of Liberty Lane
This has always been the plan and he's working well. He's a course-and-distance winner and although a mile is a minimum trip for him, he loves heavy ground and you'll need to gallop home. Hopefully, he'll be there or thereabouts but I'm hopeful rather than confident. Most of the fancied horses are on the far side but we've got Charlie Johnston's pair drawn next to us and they'll go forward.

Oliver Cole, joint-trainer of Thunder Ball
He's a very good handicapper and we think we have him straight enough, even though the weather has kept us off the grass gallops. He loves soft ground and goes there with a good shout in an open race.

Mike Prince, spokesman for Middleham Park Racing, owners of The Gatekeeper
This was the obvious place to go after he won the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot last year, although he's up to a mark of 100 now. He loves soft ground and it was proper soft at Ascot and he looks to have a decent draw once again.

Richard Spencer, trainer of Revich
He's run well in the race before and he'll turn up and run his usual race, but he looks to be on a high enough mark on the back of what he did last year. He's drawn on the stands' side, which was the place to be last year, so hopefully it's the same this time around.

James Horton, trainer of Navagio
He's going there in good shape for his first run for us and on all known form he should handle the ground. The draw in stall one is interesting but there are a few fancied ones around us so we’ll find out.

Steve Brown, husband and assistant to Julie Camacho, trainer of Lattam
He's enjoyed a straightforward preparation and will have his optimum conditions at Doncaster – a straight mile with plenty of cut in the ground. We're happy enough with the draw and hopefully he'll be in the shake-up.

George Margarson, trainer of Farhh To Shy
We’ve aimed her at this since she finished third in a Listed race last October and she has good form on straight tracks. She's drawn next to the favourite, so hopefully there should be some pace on and she won’t mind the ground.

David Egan, rider of Mr Professor
He's got winning form on very soft ground, so hopefully his light weight coupled with that will help him make an impact in an open contest. He's drawn low [2] but has some fancied ones around him.

Gemma Tutty, trainer of One Night Thunder
We had hoped he would have got into the Spring Mile but he did run well on heavy ground for us at Newmarket last autumn. It's a big ask but he has a decent draw [16].

Gary Moore, trainer of Alpha Crucis
He enjoys soft ground and has a nice racing weight. It's his first run of the year and he’ll probably benefit from it.

Read Saturday's previews:

Can Charyn bring his Group 1 form to the table in this cracking Flat curtain-raiser?

'Hopefully she can bag the rail and do the business' - key analysis and trainer quotes for the Brocklesby

'We think we’ve got him back now' - Harswell Duke bids for back-to-back Spring Miles off 8lb lower mark

'He has a massive chance' - Heltenham looks to continue title leader Dan Skelton's excellent recent run

Who is best equipped to handle testing conditions as top sprinters return in the Listed Cammidge Trophy?

Can Liberty Lane end Karl Burke's barren run at Doncaster in the month of March? Essential Lincoln analysis