APART from the Lincoln, there are several other nice prizes to be picked up at Doncaster this afternoon, including the £30,000 Listed Cammidge Trophy.

Likely to be heavily involved in the dash-for-the-cash is the dual Portland Handicap winner, Kevin Ryan's Halmahera (3.15), plus his next-door-neighbour atop Sutton Bank, Monsieur Bond, trained by Bryan Smart at Hambleton.

Smart has admitted that his horse sometimes takes one run to blow away the winter cobwebs, therefore the smart money might be on Halmahera, who despite his advancing years has a history of going well when returning from long absences.

Ryan's speedy nine-year-old is approaching pensioner status in Flat racing terms, but instead of slowing with age, the near veteran seems to be able to go faster and faster with each year that passes.

Mark Johnston might easily claim the first two on the card via Gold History (1.40) and Systematic (2.10).

Gold History started life with a bang as a juvenile, notching successive wins at Leicester and Ayr. Although he then found the going far tougher when only seventh to Milk It Mick in a Group 3 event at Newmarket, Gold History may have had valid excuses due to a problem with throat ulcers.

Joe Fanning, aboard on both victories, has always been a huge fan of the USA-bred colt and seeing as the talented Irishman sits on plenty of top tackle at the Middleham yard, he's best placed to judge what's what in the pecking order at the stable.

According to the official BHB ratings, Systematic should be totally different gear to his rivals in the following Konica East Doncaster Shield.

Unfortunately, Johnston's representative blotted his copybook with a series of below-par performances during the backend of 2003. Maybe his lengthy sabbatical will have put his mind in better order, and if this proves to be the case then Systematic should win the mile-and-a-half Listed affair with his head in his chest.

Newbury stage the best of the jumps' action, with particular interest spotlighting on the £50,000 Crandon Park Stud Mares Novices' Hurdle.

There are plenty in with a shout, however Alan King has always had this valuable event in mind for Shaadiva, back to from when chasing home Lotus Des Pictons last time out.

The latter has since franked the form with an easy win at Chepstow, putting Shaadiva right in the frame for today's two-mile-five-furlong encounter.

Back on the level at Kempton, seven-furlong specialist Camberley (3.10) could prove hard to peg back in Stanley.com Handicap.

Trainer Paul Cole rarely leaves anything to chance in the fitness department, so I think we can expect the useful gelding to be fully tuned up for his seasonal reappearance.

As usual we sign off the column at Wolverhampton's evening meeting, where Gay Kellaway's Labrett (8.30) holds plenty of aces in the betdirect.co.uk Handicap.

Labrett can be a bit of thinker, however Mick Fenton generally finesses the seven-year-old to perfection when the cards are being played down the home stretch.

* Rahwaan got Janus (Colin Woods) off the mark for the Flat season by landing the nap selection at odds of 9-2 at Doncaster yesterday.

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