The Lincoln Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) at Doncaster in late March or early April.
It is traditionally the feature event on the first Saturday of Britain's turf flat racing season. It usually takes place one or two weeks before the Grand National, and for betting purposes the two races form the Spring Double. The only jockey to have ever won both legs was Dave Dick in 1956.
History An event called the Lincolnshire Handicap was established at Lincoln in 1849. It was run over a distance of 2 miles in August.
The venue introduced the Lincoln Spring Handicap at a new fixture in March 1853. The first two runnings were over 1½ miles, and it was shortened to a mile in 1855. The summer race ended when the meeting was temporarily discontinued in the 1850s. The spring version was renamed the Lincolnshire Handicap in 1860.
The race continued to be held at Lincoln until 1964. It was transferred to Doncaster in 1965, following the closure of its former venue. From this point it was known as the Lincoln Handicap.
The bookmaker William Hill supported the Lincoln Handicap for several years prior to 1997. The company started a new period of sponsorship in 2006 which ran until 2014, and from 2015 to 2017 the race was sponsored by the bookmakers Betway. In 2018, it was sponsored by 32Red and since 2019 Unibet have sponsored the race.
The names of the winning horses from 1926 (King of Clubs) to 1937 (Marmaduke Jinks) are used in the Waddingtons board game Totopoly.
Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Ob – 1906, 1907 Babur – 1957, 1958
Leading jockey (4 wins): Charlie Maidment – Indigestion (1868), Royal Rake (1870), Guy Dayrell (1872), Vestminster (1873)
Leading trainer (5 wins): William Haggas - High Low (1992), Very Wise (2007), Penitent (2010), Addeybb (2018), Godwinson (2025)
Winners since 1900 Weights given in stones and pounds. Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer SP Time 1900 Sir Geoffrey 5 8-06 Mornington Cannon Charles Archer 1901 Little Eva 6 7-05 Otto Madden John Powney F 1:42.40 1902 St Maclou 4 7-12 George McCall Charles Beatty 1:47.20 1903 Over Norton 6 7-06 Otto Madden Charlie Waugh 1904 Uninsured 4 7-10 Bernard Dillon Jack Fallon F 1:46.60 1905 Sansovino 4 7-06 William Griggs Charlie Waugh 1:48.60 1906 Ob 5 8-00 George Bellhouse Richard Carter Sr. 1:44.60 1907 Ob 6 8-10 George Stern Richard Carter Sr. 1:45.20 1908 Kaffir Chief 6 7-11 Skeets Martin George Chaloner 1:47.60 1909 Duke of Sparta 5 6-11 James Howard Alf Sadler Jr. 1:44.80 1910 Cinderello 5 7-02 Joseph Plant Jack Robinson 1:46.00 1911 Mercutio 6 8-04 Charlie Trigg Joe Cannon 1:43.60 1912 Long Set 5 8-02 Billy Higgs James Batho 1:44.60 1913 Berrilldon 4 7-04 Herbert Robbins H Medcalfe 1:46.00 1914 Outram 5 7-01 Reginald Stokes Samuel Pickering 1:44.40 1915 View Law 4 6-01 Peter Jones John Bramley JF 1:43.40 1916 Clap Gate 5 7-00 Ted Gardner Frank Barling F 1:51.40 1917–18 no race 1919 Royal Bucks 6 7-05 George Hulme Bob Siever 1:47.20 1920 Furious 4 7-04 Herbert Robbins Percy Woodland 1:49.20 1921 Soranus 4 8-04 Bernard Carslake Etienne De Mestre 1:47.60 1922 Granely 4 7-09 Steve Donoghue Harry Cottrill 1:43.20 1923 White Bud 6 6-05 John Beasley John McCall Jr. 1:45.60 1924 Sir Gallahad 4 8-05 Frank O'Neill Robert Denman F 1:46.40 1925 Tapin 4 8-07 Steve Donoghue C Bartholomew 1:47.00 1926 King of Clubs 6 6-02 Pat Donoghue William Bellerby 1:42.80 1927 Priory Park 5 7-07 Freddie Fox Charles Peck 1:42.40 1928 Dark Warrior 4 8-02 Bobby Jones Fred Templeman 1:46.60 1929 Elton 4 7-02 Kenneth Robertson Harvey Leader 1930 Leonidas II 5 8-00 Herbert Southey Samuel H Darling 1:43.40 1931 Knight Error 5 7-07 Freddie Fox Percy Whitaker 1:45.60 1932 Jerome Fandor 4 6-13 Willie Christie Harry Peacock 1:44.80 1933 Dorigen 4 9-01 Tommy Weston George Lambton 1:54.20 1934 Play On 4 7-08 Johnny Dines James Russell 1:43.00 1935 Flamenco 4 9-00 Eph Smith Jack Jarvis 1:40.40 1936 Over Coat 5 7-12 Tommy Weston James Russell 1:43.80 1937 Marmaduke Jinks 5 8-00 Doug Smith Harry Peacock 1:56.80 1938 Phakos 4 8-03 Eph Smith Jack Jarvis F 1:41.80 1939 Squadron Castle 6 7-07 Vic Mitchell Billy Smallwood 1:48.00 1940 Quartier-Maitre 5 8-01 Gordon Richards Ivor Anthony F 1:47.20 1941 Gloaming 4 7-04 Dave Dick George Lambton 1:48.80 1942 Cuerdley 4 9-04 Joe Taylor Bobby Renton 1943 Lady Electra 4 8-10 Dick Colven Cecil Ray F 1:42.40 1944 Backbite 5 7-08 Monte Pearson Alex Boyd 1:46.80 1945 Double Harness 4 6-10 Derick Stansfield Charles Elsey 1:48.40 1946 Langton Abbot 4 8-02 Tommy Weston Ted Lambton F 1:43.80 1947 Jockey Treble 5 6-00 Manny Mercer Billy Smallwood 1:49.60 1948 Commissar 8 8-09 Bill Rickaby Arthur Budgett 1:41.00 1949 Fair Judgement 4 7-10 Eph Smith Jack Jarvis F 1:41.00 1950 Dramatic 5 8-13 Gordon Richards George Todd 1:46.20 1951 Barnes Park 5 8-00 Joe Sime George Boyd 1:50.20 1952 Phariza 5 6-12 Dominic Forte James Powell 1:48.20 1953 Sailing Light 4 7-11 Arthur Roberts Gerald Armstrong 1:39.80 1954 Nahar 7 8-00 Jean Massard Alec Head 1:41.40 1955 Military Court 5 8-02 Manny Mercer Harry Wragg 1:51.40 1956 Three Star II 8 6-13 Derek Morris H Davison 1:42.00 1957 Babur 4 7-13 Eddie Hide Charles Elsey 1:42.60 1958 Babur 5 9-00 Edgar Britt Charles Elsey Not taken 1959 Marshal Pil 5 7-13 Peter Robinson Sam Hall F 1:44.80 1960 Mustavon 5 6-13 Norman McIntosh Sam Hall 1:39.80 1961 Johns Court 6 7-07 Brian Lee Eric Cousins 1:38.80 1962 Hill Royal 4 7-09 Joe Sime Eric Cousins 1:43.80 1963 Monawin 8 7-09 Joe Sime R Mason 1:43.60 1964 Mighty Gurkha 5 7-08 Peter Robinson Ted Lambton 1:45.60 1965 Old Tom 6 8-07 Scobie Breasley Peter Easterby 1:47.00 1966 Riot Act 4 8-03 Scobie Breasley Sam Armstrong F 1:41.20 1967 Ben Novus 5 7-10 Peter Robinson W Hide 1:38.80 1968 Frankincense 4 9-05 Greville Starkey John Oxley 1:42.80 1969 Foggy Bell 4 7-11 Sandy Barclay Denys Smith 1:42.20 1970 New Chapter 4 8-01 Sandy Barclay Sam Armstrong 1:42.40 1971 Double Cream 4 8-09 Edward Hide Bill Elsey 1:39.80 1972 Sovereign Bill 6 8-12 Edward Hide Peter Robinson F 1:41.10 1973 Bronze Hill 4 7-09 Mark Birch Peter Easterby 1:39.70 1974 Quizair 6 7-13 Taffy Thomas Ryan Jarvis 1:43.27 1975 Southwark Star 4 7-03 Richard Fox G Peter-Hoblyn 1:47.39 1976 The Hertford 5 8-06 Geoff Lewis Brian Swift 1:42.50 1977 Blustery 5 7-11 Denis McKay R Smyly 1:45.53 1978 Captain's Wings 5 7-10 Michael Wigham Ron Boss F 1:38.59 1979 Fair Season 5 8-10 Greville Starkey Ian Balding 1:43.57 1980 King's Ride 4 8-12 Geoff Baxter Bill Wightman 1:44.40 1981 Saher 5 8-12 Ray Cochrane Ron Sheather 1:45.23 1982 King's Glory 4 8-03 Bryn Crossley Philip Mitchell 1:40.31 1983 Mighty Fly 4 8-04 Steve Cauthen David Elsworth 1:42.75 1984 Saving Mercy 4 8-09 Walter Swinburn Dermot Weld 1:47.93 1985 Cataldi 4 9-10 Greville Starkey Guy Harwood 1:47.65 1986 K-Battery 5 8-04 John Lowe Bill Elsey 1:44.64 1987 Star of a Gunner 7 8-08 John Reid Richard Holder 1:45.04 1988 Cuvee Charlie 4 8-01 Mark Rimmer Hugh Collingridge 1:46.00 1989 Fact Finder 5 7-09 Tyrone Williams Reg Akehurst 1:37.48 1990 Evichstar 6 7-12 Alan Munro Jimmy FitzGerald 1:38.90 1991 Amenable 6 8-01 Alex Greaves David Barron 1:42.75 1992 High Low 4 8-00 Jimmy Quinn William Haggas 1:42.74 1993 High Premium 5 8-08 Kieren Fallon Lynda Ramsden 1:37.90 1994 Our Rita 5 8-05 Darryll Holland Dr Jon Scargill 1:37.97 1995 Roving Minstrel 4 8-03 Kevin Darley Bryan McMahon 1:40.11 1996 Stone Ridge 4 8-07 Dane O'Neill Richard Hannon Sr. 1:44.67 1997 Kuala Lipis 4 8-06 Richard Quinn Paul Cole 1:39.02 1998 Hunters of Brora 8 9-00 Jason Weaver James Bethell 1:41.60 1999 Right Wing 5 9-05 Richard Quinn John Dunlop F 1:41.60 2000 John Ferneley 5 8-10 Jimmy Fortune Paul Cole JF 1:41.12 2001 Nimello 5 8-09 Jimmy Fortune Paul Cole F 1:46.68 2002 Zucchero 6 8-13 Simon Whitworth David Arbuthnot 1:45.44 2003 Pablo 4 8-11 Michael Hills Barry Hills 1:39.18 2004 Babodana 4 9-10 Philip Robinson Mark Tompkins 1:40.15 2005 Stream of Gold 4 9-00 Robert Winston Sir Michael Stoute F 1:38.18 2006 Blythe Knight 6 8-10 Graham Gibbons John Quinn 1:44.33 2007 Very Wise 5 8-11 Joe Fanning William Haggas 1:46.18 2008 Smokey Oakey 4 8-09 Jimmy Quinn Mark Tompkins 1:42.38 2009 Expresso Star 4 8-12 Jimmy Fortune John Gosden F 1:36.51 2010 Penitent 4 9-02 Johnny Murtagh William Haggas F 1:43.31 2011 Sweet Lightning 6 9-04 Johnny Murtagh Michael Dods 1:38.38 2012 Brae Hill 6 9-01 Tony Hamilton Richard Fahey 1:37.36 2013 Levitate 5 8-04 Darren Egan John Quinn 1:41.91 2014 Ocean Tempest 5 9-03 Adam Kirby John Ryan 1:40.17 2015 Gabrial 6 9-00 Tony Hamilton Richard Fahey 1:39.62 2016 Secret Brief 4 9-04 William Buick Charlie Appleby 1:46.25 2017 Bravery 4 9-01 Daniel Tudhope David O'Meara 1:38.38 2018 Addeybb 4 9-02 James Doyle William Haggas 1:43.56 2019 Auxerre 4 9-02 James Doyle Charlie Appleby F 1:36.82 no race 2020 2021 Haqeeqy 4 8-12 Benoit de la Sayette John & Thady Gosden 1:38.26 2022 Johan 5 9-04 Silvestre de Sousa Mick Channon 1:37.34 2023 Migration 7 9-09 Benoit de la Sayette David Menuisier 1:47.86 2024 Mr Professor 5 8-08 David Egan Dominic Ffrench Davis 1:44.00 2025 Godwinson 5 9-04 Cieren Fallon William Haggas 1:40.09 2026 Urban Lion 5 9-06 Edward Greatrex Jack Channon 1:41.26
Earlier winners
1853: Caurire 1854: Georgey 1855: Saucebox 1856: Flageolet 1857: Huntingdon 1858: Vandermulin 1859: Bel Esperanza 1860: Vigo 1861: Benbow 1862: Suburban 1863: Manrico 1864: Benjamin 1865: Gaily 1866: Treasure Trove 1867: Vandervelde 1868: Indigestion 1869: Sycee 1870: Royal Rake 1871: Vulcan 1872: Guy Dayrell 1873: Vestminster 1874: Tomahawk 1875: The Gunner 1876: Controversy 1877: Footstep 1878: Kaleidoscope 1879: Touchet 1880: Rosy Cross 1881: Buchanan 1882: Poulet 1883: Knight of Burghley 1884: Tonans 1885: Bendigo 1886: Fulmen 1887: Oberon 1888: Veracity 1889: Wise Man 1890: The Rejected 1891: Lord George 1892: Clarence 1893: Wolf's Crag 1894: Le Nicham 1895: Euclid 1896: Clorane 1897: Winkfield's Pride 1898: Prince Barcaldine 1899: General Peace
Broadcasters Network TV BBC Television televised the race from 1959 to 1964 inclusive. ITV televised from 1965-1985 and 2017–present Channel 4 televised from 1986-2016 Pay TV The Racing Channel 1995-2002 Racing UK showed it in 2005-2006 At The Races/Sky Sports Racing 2003-2004 and 2007–present
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British flat horse races Recurring sporting events established in 1853 – this race is included under its original title, Lincoln Spring Handicap.
References
Paris-Turf: , , Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
External links Race Recordings (1973, 1974, 1978, 1982-1984, 1986-2004) youtube.com galopp-sieger.de – Lincoln Handicap (Lincolnshire Handicap). pedigreequery.com – Lincoln(shire) Handicap – Doncaster.