Doubts over pace complicate Taqleed's Lincoln credentials

Taqleed may be a short price to win the William Hill Lincoln at Doncaster today, but those closest to him have their reservations. John Gosden's four-year-old has only had four runs, finishing unplaced as a two-year-old before winning his first two starts at three and running well in the Cambridgeshire.

However, having already won over ten furlongs, owner Hamdan Al Maktoum's racing manager Angus Gold is unsure whether he will have the requisite pace to win a race like the Lincoln.

"He ran well in the Cambridgeshire, so I don't know if he's unexposed or not," said Gold. "He's a horse who improved throughout the whole of last year and if he can improve again this year he'll be a pretty nice horse, but he might be a better mile-and-a-quarter horse. Whether he'll have enough speed for a race like the Lincoln, I'm not so sure."

The ground looks like being perfect for the first major meeting of the season, with clerk of the course Jon Pullin calling it good all over. While those conditions should suit just about everybody, Mark Johnston would prefer quicker terrain for his runner Tartan Gigha.

Johnston said: "I'm quite happy with the draw, but my biggest worry would be the ground. Perhaps naively, I had been assuming that, with the weather we've had, the ground would be good. I now hear that they are watering the track. It never occurred to me in a million years they would be doing that."

It is 15 years since Richard Hannon last won the Lincoln with Stone Ridge and this year the champion trainer relies on Fremont. A promising juvenile, his three-year-old season was cut short. "Fremont has done really well through the winter and looks great, but he went light on us after he ran at Newmarket's Guineas meeting last year and went to David Powell's for a holiday," said Hannon. "While I am happy with the draw (21), I fear that after his long absence he might just need it."

Tom Eaves rides Bryan Smart's Dubai Hills, who has been in cracking form through the winter, winning four on the bounce.

"We're drawn six, I've had a look and there seems to be plenty of pace around us, so I'm happy enough with that," said Eaves. He's well, he's had a good all-weather season so if he can transfer that to the grass we'll see how he goes."

Meanwhile, Seamie Heffernan is excited about getting the leg up on St Nicholas Abbey when he makes his eagerly-anticipated return in the Geegeez.co.uk Alleged Stakes at the Curragh tomorrow.

Aidan O'Brien's colt enjoyed a brilliant juvenile campaign, rounding off the year with a scintillating display in Doncaster's Racing Post Trophy. But he could only finish sixth when sent off the hot favourite for last year's 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and he has not been seen in competitive action since.

"I'm really looking forward to riding him and this looks a nice race to start him off in," said Heffernan.