2025 Spring E/W Double

As we head into the warmth of spring, it’s time to have a look at one of the traditional bets that punters love to have a go at. The Spring Double, which concerns the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster and the Grand National at Aintree, has proved to be a tough nut to crack for us in recent years but Dave is going to give it another go in 2025. Small e/w singles and an e/w double recommended.

2025 Lincoln Handicap – Doncaster

The one I have my eye on for this race is the Richard Hughes trained Whip Cracker. Regular readers might remember us backing this horse on his seasonal reappearance in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket (1m1f, good) last April. He ran a blinder to finish a 3.25l behind poor old Jayarebe off level weights and that horse ended up being rated 117 before tragically suffering a heart attack at the Breeders’ Cup.

Ambiente Friendly was almost 3l behind Whip Cracker back in fourth and he is now rated 115. Now, Whip Cracker didn’t go on to reach the same heights as those horses last season but he has demonstrated more than once that he is capable of winning a nice handicap pot and hopefully, it’s this one.

The 4yo son of Cracksman was gelded after a below par, but not terrible, effort in the Britannia at Ascot. After that he raced twice on heavy ground in valuable handicaps at Newbury (1m2f) and Goodwood (1m), finishing third and fourth respectively.

Ground Will Suit

I think he ran well in those two races in spite of the heavy ground rather than because of it and the likely good ground at Doncaster should be more up his street. He had a prep run in the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton, for which he was sent off the 9/4 fav. He finished a closing fourth and I believe connections would have been delighted that he ran so well and didn’t win, avoiding a 5lb penalty for this race.

This horse should be well suited by a strongly run race over the mile at Doncaster and on his effort in the Feilden Stakes, he is capable of running to 105+ at least. He gets in off a mark of 97, Finley Marsh is jocked up so hopefully the plan is to run and if he does, Whip Cracker looks well worth backing each way at odds of 20/1.

2025 Spring E/W Double Lincoln Handicap Tip: Whip Cracker e/w @ 20/1 (4 places 1/4 odds)

2025 Grand National – Aintree

I have already put Beauport up for the Grand National at 40/1 and you can read why here. He has become something of a forgotten horse due to punters focusing on horses with more recent form but if he turns up in the same fettle as when routing the field on his last chase start at Ascot, surely he is going to run a massive race. He won’t mind what the weather does either, unlike the well-backed and heavily hyped Hewick who probably won’t even run if the ground turns soft.

We backed I Am Maximus ante-post for the race last season at 25/1 and he hosed up. He has failed to fire so far this year but you can be sure he’s been trained to the minute for this race and he looked like he could have gone around again he won that easily in 2024. I think he could go off favourite and win again but unfortunately, he isn’t 25/1 this year.

Chief Appeals

The one that makes most appeal at a working man’s price is Senior Chief. Henry De Bromhead knows what it takes to win this race and he mentioned the National as a possible target for this 8yo after his October win at Cheltenham (3m1f, good). That win came off 142 and he then headed to the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury for his next run off a 9lb higher mark.

He was ridden prominently when winning at Cheltenham but at Newbury he was ridden a bit more patiently. He got outpaced and looked like he might tail off at one point but he stayed on very well in the final couple of furlongs to get up for sixth so hopefully, this marathon trip will suit.

Best Left Handed

De Bromhead’s horse was sent off at just 10/1 for the Irish Grand National last season but he may not have appreciated going right handed and the bottomless ground probably wasn’t ideal either. It must be said, he has won a couple of poor races going right handed at Punchestown but his standout efforts, by some distance, have come going left handed on his last two chase starts.

He seems to be versatile regarding ground conditions (though good to soft or soft ground would be ideal) and he had a spin over hurdles at Naas last month, which should have blown away any cobwebs.

Even though the Grand National trip is 4 miles plus, the start will be key. Senior Chief is best when racing close to the front so it will be vital that he gets a fair shake when the flag drops. If he does, hopefully he will run a massive race at odds of 33/1.

2025 Spring E/W Double Grand National Tip: Senior Chief e/w @ 33/1 (5 places 1/5 odds)

-DaveStevos