As I’ve booked some overdue time off, I’m heading to Lingfield tomorrow for an admittedly fairly mundane (so to speak) seven race card. As always, some early thoughts on which ones to probably avoid at all costs:
Race one is a seller over a mile. As you might expect, recent form is rather thin on the ground. CLIMATE is a CD winner who ran second in a Wolverhampton seller and has solid claims. SAMUEL CHARLES is a veteran AW performer who has enjoyed a good winter and may prefer this trip again after a modest recent effort at Wolverhampton. PERSONIFY was well held in another Wolverhampton seller so I’m siding with CLIMATE.
Race two is a six-furlong handicap for 3-y-o. Most of these ran with credit as juveniles but this is a different year. YOUNG IVANHOE is a CD winner but was last at Kempton on his most recent effort. SEDUCTIVE WITCH is a solid performer and another CD winner and she ran well again last time out. She gets plenty of weight from arguing later developing types including WHAT KATIE DID. The latter ran well in a December nursery over CD and has obvious claims with Ryan Moore in the saddle. WE HAVE A DREAM is another who raced with credit as a juvenile ending up with victory in a Nottingham nursery on soft ground. In a race that looks pretty trappy, I’m inclined toward WHAT KATIE DID though any significant market activity for one of those making a seasonal debut is to be noted.
Race three is a 2-y-o maiden for fillies over five furlongs. This will be my first look at the juveniles this year and paddock inspection will be crucial. PERCOLATOR ran well at Warwick on Easter Monday but this will be a lot quicker than Warwick on soft ground. She has nothing to fear from JOLI HAVEN and LOIS DARLIN on that form. The other three debutantes are another matter and GRAND PLAN is the one to take advantage if PERCOLATOR doesn’t come on for her debut.
Race four is a handicap for older horses over a mile. This looks another trappy heat and there isn’t a lot of worthwhile recent form to consider. MURRIN ran in better races than this last season but has it to prove on this specialist surface at this trip. I prefer PARADISE DANCER who is a CD winner and was involved in a bunch finish over seven furlongs last time.
Race five is a 3-y-o handicap over seven furlongs. This is probably the best race of the afternoon as it has attracted a small but quite select field. MASLAHA bolted up over CD in a maiden and may be on a lenient mark if she is improving. KEEP DISCOVERING represents the Johnston stable but though he won his maiden he was well beaten in a Pontefract handicap and I’m not always convinced the Johnston horses improve. HUSTLE is an interesting contender having run with credit in a Class 3 event at Newmarket on his last outing as a juvenile. The race won by MY MATE PETE over six furlongs doesn’t look up to this and I prefer MASLAHA who could be well treated.
Race six is a 3-y-o maiden over a mile and a quarter. Not much form in this either and a small field of, I suspect, late-maturing types. MONTERRICO is an obvious contender on his Leicester run last year, as is ROCK PEAK who shaped with promise at Sandown. Of the newcomers, MONTEVETRO is perhaps the most interesting though paddock and market inspection will be significant.
Proceedings close with a mile handicap for 3-y-o. This looks a pretty weak event with a number of horses from top stables entering handicap company having shown precious little in maidens. Of those with form this year, LEDGERWOOD looks about the best though a second to Bridge of Fermoy at Wolverhampton is hardly earth-shattering stuff. WHAT’S FOR TEA is a CD winner but was slightly disappointing albeit in a stronger event last time. Horses like DARLEY STAR and COLORATURA will need to improve on what they showed last year to feature but could well do so and any significant market interest would be worth noting.
Selections at present for the meeting are:
2.10: CLIMATE
2.40: WHAT KATIE DID
3.10: GRAND PLAN
3.40: PARADISE DANCER (nap)
4.10: MASLAHA
4.40: ROCK PEAK
5.10: WHAT’S FOR TEA
There may be a review tomorrow evening if I can be bothered.
Race one is a seller over a mile. As you might expect, recent form is rather thin on the ground. CLIMATE is a CD winner who ran second in a Wolverhampton seller and has solid claims. SAMUEL CHARLES is a veteran AW performer who has enjoyed a good winter and may prefer this trip again after a modest recent effort at Wolverhampton. PERSONIFY was well held in another Wolverhampton seller so I’m siding with CLIMATE.
Race two is a six-furlong handicap for 3-y-o. Most of these ran with credit as juveniles but this is a different year. YOUNG IVANHOE is a CD winner but was last at Kempton on his most recent effort. SEDUCTIVE WITCH is a solid performer and another CD winner and she ran well again last time out. She gets plenty of weight from arguing later developing types including WHAT KATIE DID. The latter ran well in a December nursery over CD and has obvious claims with Ryan Moore in the saddle. WE HAVE A DREAM is another who raced with credit as a juvenile ending up with victory in a Nottingham nursery on soft ground. In a race that looks pretty trappy, I’m inclined toward WHAT KATIE DID though any significant market activity for one of those making a seasonal debut is to be noted.
Race three is a 2-y-o maiden for fillies over five furlongs. This will be my first look at the juveniles this year and paddock inspection will be crucial. PERCOLATOR ran well at Warwick on Easter Monday but this will be a lot quicker than Warwick on soft ground. She has nothing to fear from JOLI HAVEN and LOIS DARLIN on that form. The other three debutantes are another matter and GRAND PLAN is the one to take advantage if PERCOLATOR doesn’t come on for her debut.
Race four is a handicap for older horses over a mile. This looks another trappy heat and there isn’t a lot of worthwhile recent form to consider. MURRIN ran in better races than this last season but has it to prove on this specialist surface at this trip. I prefer PARADISE DANCER who is a CD winner and was involved in a bunch finish over seven furlongs last time.
Race five is a 3-y-o handicap over seven furlongs. This is probably the best race of the afternoon as it has attracted a small but quite select field. MASLAHA bolted up over CD in a maiden and may be on a lenient mark if she is improving. KEEP DISCOVERING represents the Johnston stable but though he won his maiden he was well beaten in a Pontefract handicap and I’m not always convinced the Johnston horses improve. HUSTLE is an interesting contender having run with credit in a Class 3 event at Newmarket on his last outing as a juvenile. The race won by MY MATE PETE over six furlongs doesn’t look up to this and I prefer MASLAHA who could be well treated.
Race six is a 3-y-o maiden over a mile and a quarter. Not much form in this either and a small field of, I suspect, late-maturing types. MONTERRICO is an obvious contender on his Leicester run last year, as is ROCK PEAK who shaped with promise at Sandown. Of the newcomers, MONTEVETRO is perhaps the most interesting though paddock and market inspection will be significant.
Proceedings close with a mile handicap for 3-y-o. This looks a pretty weak event with a number of horses from top stables entering handicap company having shown precious little in maidens. Of those with form this year, LEDGERWOOD looks about the best though a second to Bridge of Fermoy at Wolverhampton is hardly earth-shattering stuff. WHAT’S FOR TEA is a CD winner but was slightly disappointing albeit in a stronger event last time. Horses like DARLEY STAR and COLORATURA will need to improve on what they showed last year to feature but could well do so and any significant market interest would be worth noting.
Selections at present for the meeting are:
2.10: CLIMATE
2.40: WHAT KATIE DID
3.10: GRAND PLAN
3.40: PARADISE DANCER (nap)
4.10: MASLAHA
4.40: ROCK PEAK
5.10: WHAT’S FOR TEA
There may be a review tomorrow evening if I can be bothered.