Lincoln Handicap betting – Top 2024 Lincoln Handicap odds and tips

We’ve barely had a chance to process last week’s Cheltenham Festival, but horse racing is a sport which never sleeps, meaning that it’s about time we welcomed in the Flat season.

It may be three weeks until the Grand National, but the Flat Turf season kicks off at Doncaster on Saturday with the historic Lincoln Handicap, a traditional curtain-raiser for the level.

Known as the first part of the ‘spring double’ for punters (with the Grand National being the second leg), the Lincoln is a notoriously tricky handicap which often takes a serious amount of studying to unravel. 

Picking the winner of the Lincoln is a feather in the cap of any punter who’s able to work it out and to give you the best possible chance, we’ve listed all the latest Lincoln Handicap odds, tips and free bets for you below in this handy guide.

🏆 Lincoln Handicap 2024 betting sites: Our top picks

Here are some of our favourite betting sites for horse racing.

🏅 Lincoln Handicap winner odds

With a whopping 56 horses still left in the race at the five-day entries stage, it’s safe to say that competition is fierce for this year’s Lincoln Handicap. 

With a maximum field of 22 runners on Saturday, we’re almost certain to get a full field for the race and we’ve listed the 10 horses who lead the betting at the time of writing. Please note that all odds listed are subject to change between now and the weekend. 

• AWAAL (Simon and Ed Crisford) at 9/2 with Paddy Power
• LIBERTY LANE (Karl Burke) at 11/2 with bet365
• CHAZZESMEE (James Stack) at 8/1 with Coral
• MIGRATION (David Menusier) at 12/1 with BoyleSports
• BLUES EMPEROR (Johnny Murtagh) at 14/1 with Sky Bet
• MOSTABSHIR (John and Thady Gosden) at 14/1 with William Hill
• VETIVER (Andrew Balding) at 20/1 with Sky Bet
• JOHAN (Jack Channon) at 16/1 with BetUK
• LATTAM (Julie Camacho) at 20/1 with Unibet
• THUNDER BALL (Paul and Oliver Cole) at 20/1 with BetMGM

🏅 Our top Lincoln Handicap betting tip

The Lincoln Handicap is one of the most difficult handicap puzzles of the entire Flat season, making it a fitting way to kick things off for punters ahead of the summer. 

It’s fiendishly difficult to pick out Lincoln winner on race day – never mind five days out! – but one runner makes plenty of appeal for the Karl Burke team. You can find out our betting tip for the 2024 Lincoln Handicap below. 

Back LIBERTY LANE at 11/2 with bet365

With testing conditions likely to materialise on Saturday, it could be worth siding with Liberty Lane, who makes plenty of appeal for the Karl Burke team. 

The four-year-old posted a career best effort when winning a competitive handicap over course and distance on soft ground in September, form which has a pretty solid look about it, with two in behind winning subsequently and several others running well since. 

Liberty Lane is 5lbs higher than for that run here, but he gave the firm impression of a horse who could still have more to offer that day. Admittedly, he wasn’t at his best when last seen at Newmarket a fortnight later, though he has been gelded since and is worth forgiving for that outing. 

Burke’s charge posted an excellent effort to finish second behind a subsequent Royal Ascot winner on his first start last term and he appeals as one who will be fully tuned up first time out. 

His yard is in good form at the moment, with stablemate Got To Love A Grey winning a Listed race in similarly tough conditions at Chantilly on Monday, and Liberty Lane is fancied to continue his yard’s strong start to the year.

🏇 Who are the most prominent contenders for the 2024 Lincoln Handicap?

It may be up first in the calendar, but the Lincoln Handicap is one of the most difficult puzzles of the entire Flat season, with the race regularly offering up a real mix of profiles. 

It’s possible to make a case for plenty in the entries at the five-day entries stage, so we’ve looked at the top five horses in the betting at the time of writing and outlined their chances.

Awaal, 9/2 with Paddy Power (Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford, Jockey: TBC) 

Experienced handicapper who’s a regular in this sphere, finishing a fine second in this race last year and subsequently placing at both Royal Ascot and the July Meeting. Has arguably shown his best form on softer surfaces and can’t be ignored here, seeing as he’s able to take his chance off the same mark as last year. Should be ready to go first time out and ought to have a favourite’s chance. 

🏇 Bet on Awaal at 9/2 with Paddy Power 🏇

Liberty Lane, 11/2 with bet365 (Trainer: Karl Burke, Jockey: TBC) 

Useful handicapper who was a steady improver as a three-year-old last year, winning a competitive handicap over course and distance last September. That run came in soft conditions and the form has worked out well, with two in-behind winning subsequently and several others running well since. 

Disappointed since and will have to shoulder a career high mark here, but was gelded over the winter and gave the impression that he could yet have more to offer. His yard has hit the ground running this year and he’s fancied to be fully tuned up first time out.

🏇 Bet on Liberty Lane at 11/2 with bet365 🏇

Chazzesmee, 8/1 with Coral (Trainer: James Stack, Jockey: TBC) 

Irish raider who has a lightly-raced profile for a seven-year-old, with three wins from 10 starts. Raced just three times last year but was prolific when hitting the track, winning twice and finishing second in a highly-competitive heat on the other occasion. 

Made a winning return in the Irish version of this race at the Curragh on Monday in heavy ground, for which he will carry a 5lbs penalty here. Will likely be much higher in the weights when reassessed and will have every chance if in the same mood quickly turned back out.

🏇 Bet on Chazzesmee at 8/1 with Coral 🏇 

Migration, 12/1 with Boylesports (Trainer: David Menusier, Jockey: TBC) 

An excellent winner of this race 12 months ago for the David Menuisier team, defeating Awaal by a length and three quarters in heavy ground. Struggled to kick on from that in three subsequent starts last term – with two of those coming up in class – and will have to race off a 4lbs higher mark here than for his win 12 months ago. Boasts a solid record fresh however and can’t be completely ruled out for his shrewd connections. 

Blues Emperor, 14/1 with Sky Bet (Trainer: Johnny Murtagh, Jockey: TBC) 

Irish challenger who represents a trainer that won this race twice as a jockey in 2010 and 2011. Showed very useful form at a mile last term, winning back-to-back handicaps at Naas and the Curragh, with the latter of those victories coming over the reopposing Chazzesmee. 

Soft ground shouldn’t be a problem and tends to be at his best when allowed to dominate, meaning he’d be a danger to all if gifted a soft lead in front. Carries a career high mark but one to monitor, particularly if Murtagh opts for the services of a claimer.

🏇 Bet on Blues Emperor at 14/1 with Sky Bet 🏇

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💰 How to place a 2024 Lincoln Handicap bet

Placing a bet on the Lincoln Handicap can seem daunting if you’re new to betting on racing, but it’s a relatively simple process. To help you out, we’ve put together this quick step-by-step guide.

1. Sign into your betting account. If you don’t already have an account, we recommend any of BetVictor, bet365 or BetMGM.
2. If you need to create an account, click ‘sign up’ at your selected betting site to create a new account with them. Make sure you add any promotional codes you may need to qualify for any free bet offers. 
3. Once you have signed up for an account, select a horse in the Lincoln Handicap. You can view the form for free on your betting site, or you can navigate to a free site like Timeform or Racing Post to view racing form and tips. 
4. Look for the racing taking place on Saturday 23^rd March and find the meeting at Doncaster. Select the Lincoln Handicap, which is the 3.35pm race. 
5. Once you have picked out a horse, add them to the betslip by clicking the odds next to their name. 
6. Enter your stake. If you wanted to place a £5 win bet, you would place a 5 into the box. Make sure you select each-way if you want to place an each-way bet on the Lincoln – though do note that your stake will double if you do. 
7. Your potential returns should then appear in the betslip. Once you’re happy, click ‘place bet’.
8. Good luck!

🎁 Which sites have the best offers for Lincoln Handicap betting?

The Lincoln Handicap is one of the most popular betting races of the entire year, with the race forming the first part of the traditional ‘spring double’ alongside the Grand National. 

There are some fantastic sign up offers with bookmakers at the moment and we’ve highlighted three which have caught our eye.

BetVictor 

You can get £30 in free bets when you sign up for a BetVictor account and stake £10. To get the offer, create an account and bet £10 or more on the sportsbook at odds of evens or greater after opting into the promotion. Once that bet has settled, your account will be credited with 6 x £5 free bets that can be used on certain parts of the sportsbook.  

BetMGM

New BetMGM customers can get £40 in free bets when they sign up and stake £10 on the sportsbook. To qualify, sign up for an account and stake £10 on the sportsbook at odds of evens or greater. Once the bet has settled, you will receive four free bets to use on the sportsbook. These will come in the form of 1 x £10 horse racing free bet, 1 x £10 free bet builder, 1 x £10 free acca bet and 1 x £10 free football bet. All free bets expire in seven days.

Sky Bet

Sky Bet are offering new customers £30 in free bets when you sign up and place any bet. To get the offer, sign up for an account, deposit the minimum amount of £5 and place any bet of 5p or more on the sportsbook. Once that bet has settled, your free bets will appear in your account in the form of 3x £10 free bet tokens. 

🏇 Which jockey and trainer have been the most successful in the Lincoln Handicap?

Having first been established back in 1849, the Lincoln Handicap is a race that is steeped in history, with some iconic names winning the race over the years. 

The title of most successful trainer in the Lincoln is shared by two men from different centuries, as Jack Robinson and William Haggas have four wins apiece. 

Robinson’s four victories came with Clorane (1896), Winkfield's Pride (1897), Prince Barcaldine (1898) and Cinderello (1910), while Haggas has been successful with High Low (1992), Very Wise (2007), Penitent (2010) and most recently with the subsequent Group 1 hero Addeybb (2018).The most successful jockey in the history of the race is the 19^th century rider Charlie Maidment, who rode four winners of the race. Maidment’s four winners came courtesy of Indigestion (1868), Royal Rake (1870), Guy Dayrell (1872) and Vestminster (1873).

🏁 What type of race is the Lincoln Handicap?

The Lincoln Handicap is a race with more than 170 years of history, having first been contested all the way back in 1849. Run over a distance of a mile, the race is a fiercely competitive handicap, with the winner regularly going on to bigger and better things. 

A notable recent winner of the race is the 2018 winner Addeybb, who went on to win four times at Group 1 level, including in the 2020 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot.

🏁 Which racecourse is the Lincoln Handicap held on?

The Lincoln Handicap is traditionally held at Doncaster Racecourse in South Yorkshire. The race tends to move around depending on the placement of Easter, but generally tends to take place a couple of weeks before the Grand National at Aintree. 

📺 How to watch the Imperial Cup in 2024:

• The Lincoln Handicap will take place at Doncaster Racecourse on Saturday. The full address is Doncaster Racecourse, Bawtry Rd, Doncaster DN2 6BB.
• The Lincoln is due off at 3.35pm on Saturday 23^rd March 2024
• You can watch the Lincoln Handicap live on ITV Racing and Sky Sports Racing, while you can also stream the race with most bookmakers. Please check whether streaming is available with your gambling website beforehand.

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