Betway Lincoln
Heritage Handicap Doncaster 15:50 £100,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m, Class 2
Saturday 28th March 2015

1 Gabrial 12/1
2 Mondialiste 25/1
3 Moohaarib 12/1
4 What About Carlo 20/1
5 Mange All 13/2
22 ran Distances: nk, 2l, 2½l
TIME 1m 39.62s (slow by 3.62s)

Gabrial wins the Lincoln for Richard Fahey & Tony Hamilton, taking the first big race of the flat season

Gabrial
© Racehorse Photos

Richard Fahey's streetwise, but often unpredictable six-year-old was delivered with a precise challenge by Tony Hamilton to take the first major prize of the Flat turf season at odds of 12-1.

Mondialiste was a determined foe for the David O'Meara team, but once he was subdued, Gabrial was in pole position, eventually winning by a neck. Moohaarib finished third.

Hamilton said: "He needs a strong gallop and he stays well."

It was a second Lincoln in four years for Hamilton, Fahey, and owner Dr Marwan Koukash, and the latter was over the moon.

He said: "When I started off in racing I always wanted to win the big handicaps, Cesarewitch, Ayr Gold Cup and the Lincoln.

"When I first met Richard I asked what race he would like to win the most and he said it was this one. Now we've done it twice, so I'm delighted."

Fahey added: "They raced in a very tight pack and I wasn't sure he was going to get out in time. That's the first time I've ever seen him really pin his ears back and have a real go, as he's a bit of a character. Tony said he always felt like he was going to win.

"The only reason he was running over further last year was because after Mount Athos got injured, Marwan wanted a Melbourne Cup horse, but he didn't stay.

"He's a Listed winner and while I doubt he's getting better, we'll hatch a plan and see where we go. I presume it will be Chester."

At which point Koukash responded: "He'll go to the Huxley Stakes over 10 furlongs at Chester."

Betway Lincoln (Heritage Handicap)
£100,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m, Class 2
22 ran
Going: Good