Migration campaign hinges on handicap mark

Ashley Iveson
April 3, 2023 4:00 pm

Menuisier waiting for revised rating for Lincoln winner.

David Menuisier is awaiting the handicapper’s assessment of Migration’s victory in the Lincoln at Doncaster on Saturday before considering plans for the rest of the season.

The burden of top-weight proved no barrier to success for the seven-year-old in the traditional feature on the first day of the British Flat season as he was produced with a withering late run by Benoit De La Sayette to emerge triumphant.

The win came off a mark of 107 and Menuisier will be better placed to scour the programme book for future options once the assessor has had his say on Tuesday.

Migration delivers in fine style in the Pertemps Network Lincoln under @BenoitSayette . 🥇#ITVRacing | @DoncasterRaces | @DavidMenuisier pic.twitter.com/k0awR5bGRt
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 1, 2023

“He has come out of the race well and all is good,” said the Sussex-based Frenchman.

“We’ll see what the handicapper does, but he is seven and doesn’t need to run 15 times this year.

“It’s all up in the air really. I think there’s a decent chance handicaps will be out, but I can’t completely discard races like the Hunt Cup (at Royal Ascot).”

David Menuisier at Doncaster on Saturday (Nigel French/PA)

While Migration’s Lincoln success came over a mile in testing conditions, he has previously won over a mile and a quarter on good ground at York, suggesting he is not reliant on soft ground.

Menuisier added: “I think he’s quite versatile. I actually thought in the past he was probably better over further than a mile, but obviously that was a career-best at the weekend.

“Maybe the handicapper was on holiday and didn’t see him! It goes without saying handicaps are going to be a long shot now and he might have to go to the next level in a Listed race or a Group Three.”