Lingfield Feb 9th

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stodge

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If the current fine weather continues (and probably even if it doesn’t), I’ll be heading to East Surrey for an afternoon’s racing on the sands of Lingfield Park. This doesn’t look the strongest Saturday card I’ve ever seen but there are winners to be found so here are my early thoughts.

Race 1 is a Class 5 maiden over six furlongs. Five 3-y-o take on one older horse that missed his entire 3-y-o season but all have run at least once. JUDGE N JURY didn’t run too badly in his comeback race last month but I’ll be surprised if he’s good enough to beat his younger rivals. HURRICANE HEN is the obvious choice having just failed over the minimum trip at Kempton though I’m not sure he has that much in hand of EVENSTORM, who ran fourth in an arguably stronger race also at Kempton. ON a tentative line through the winner of that latter Kempton race, EVENSTORM hasn’t that much in hand of SZABA, who ran well until weakening close home over CD last month.

Race 2 is a Class 6 handicap over a mile and a half. Not a huge amount of worthwhile form on offer but NDOLA deserves to head the weights on the evidence of his recent third in a similar race at Kempton. I can’t believe there’s much improvement to come from this 9-y-o and I’m more interested in CYRIL THE SQUIRREL, who is much more lightly campaigned as a 4-y-o. He was second in a Kempton median auction maiden. The danger is, I think, PRINCE OF MEDINA, who will enjoy this step down in trip having failed to get home over five furlongs further at Wolverhampton.

Race 3 is a Class 5 maiden for 3-y-o over a mile. This looks a more interesting heat. ACE OF SPIES was 8/15 when losing out to VETTORENJOY over CD last month. He went hard from the front that day and simply didn’t get home. I do think some of Mark Johnston’s horses are poor value and a number have been beaten at short prices recently such as Always Certain last Saturday so I’ll be opposing this one. COPPERWOOD ran in some fair maidens on the turf and has to be respected while I note the Elsworth debutante FAIRFIELD FLAME. However, my choice is BRAVE HAWK from the Michael Jarvis yard that ran well enough on his debut at Kempton.

Race 4 is a Class 6 Claimer for 3-y-o over a mile. I saw SNOW BOUNTY on his debut at Lingfield last Saturday in the race won by Liberty Valance. It wasn’t a bad effort in the context of that maiden and this probably isn’t any better. TIGER’S ROCKET beat a Johnston runner in Boomtown at Wolverhampton the other day and could just be finding his way.

Race 5 is the afternoon’s feature, a Class 2 handicap over a mile and a quarter. I’m not sure quite how strong this race is. Two of those who finished just behind Silver Pivotal in an equivalent race two weeks ago are back in action. That race was run at a murderously strong pace and SPEEDY SAM helped set that pace until tying up in the final furlong. He meets LISATHEDADDY on identical terms and finished only inches in front so they should both be thereabouts. TROUBADOUR heads the weights and has run in Listed class but isn’t proven at this trip. SAMARINDA is, however, a CD winner and didn’t quite have the speed to mix it with the likes of Fajr last time but this will be easier back over this trip. DREAM LODGE was wonderfully consistent last season but ran poorly at Kempton on his seasonal debut.

Race 6 is a Class 4 handicap over six furlongs. BENLLECH did it well here a fortnight ago but this is a tougher assignment. He should still run well but has it on here against the veteran FROMSONG who owes his connections nothing at all. He is a CD winner but bolted up last time at Kempton. In that mood, he’ll take some stopping and should have no worries from SANDS CROONER on these terms. The one fly in the ointment could be MOGOK RUBY who didn’t get the best of runs when storming home behind Bazroy at Kempton.

Proceedings close with a Class 5 handicap over a mile and a quarter. SRI KUANTAN heads the wrights and looked an improving sort over CD a fortnight ago but at Kempton over a furlong further, it didn’t probably go according to plan as he ran too free early on. I think we can probably disregard that run but this isn’t a simple task. The problem is that the horse he beat when winning over CD< EMPEROR COURT, reopposes on 6 lbs better terms for a head and I think he may reverse placings. BLU MANRUNA and ALFIE TUPPER have run well recently but this will be a step up in class for both of them.

Selections at this stage are:

1.00: SZABA
1.30: CYRIL THE SQUIRREL
2.05: BRAVE HAWK
2.35: TIGER’S GARDEN
3.10: SAMARINDA
3.45: MOGOK RUBY
4.20:EMPEROR COURT (nap)
 
Lovely rundown Stodge, thank you

I hope you're wrong about Srikuantan, I think he has a touch of class, is still learning, likes the track, and that he might settle a bit better this time... so I've taken a risk on him for the comp.

I looked at this race for a long time and it's a real toughie as a few can win it - there's only one I'd rule out. I always prefer the more lightly-raced horses in this kind of race... But if I had to make a pick tomorrow I might choose one of the others!
 
I thought I’d offer just a few notes and comments from yesterday’s action at Lingfield. A glorious afternoon, more May than February, brought a good-sized crowd trackside. It wasn’t the strongest Saturday card ever but, as always, there was much of interest.

The opening maiden over five furlongs went to the 4-y-o JUDGE N JURY who was only having his third run so was less experienced than some of his younger opponents. He basically jumped well and burnt them off in the straight. He’s an imposing type and should win again. HURRICANE HEN is, on the other hand, disappointing. He might be a short runner but he stays on well enough – he’s probably just slow and may have to ply his trader in low-grade handicaps. One for the notebooks was the filly MARTHA who completely missed the break but made good headway in the final furlong. She’s worth another chance in a similar race.

The second was a poor handicap over a mile and a half. I don’t know whether it was the blinkers or what happened but CYRIL THE SQUIRREL went too fast too quick passing the post for the first time eight lengths ahead. Micky Fenton managed to slow the pace up by the mile start but the damage was done. PRINCE OF MEDINA got a dream gap and fully exploited it in the straight while NDOLA ran well enough giving 5 lbs to the winner.

The third was a 3-y-o maiden over a mile and arguably the most interesting race of the day. I’ve learnt from years of racing at Lingfield that there are two sorts of “gamble” – the hopeful punt and the inspired plunge. We saw the latter in full cry as THRONE OF POWER was backed from 8s to 3s and won with authority. He’s a nice looking horse though not exceptional but was the best of the newcomers in this heat. While BRAVE HAWK attracted the “hopeful punt” (13/2 to 5s), ACE OF SPIES drifted and to be honest looks pretty moderate on this evidence.

Those who backed THRONE OF POWER had few concerns in the race and BOY ON A SWING probably ran a fine race to get as close as he did but the winner quickened smartly at the furlong pole and connections now have the dilemma of where to go next. The breeding is all-American so I wonder if one of the big 3-y-o races at the Winter Derby meeting might be on the agenda though inexperience will be an issue.

The fourth was a claimer for 3-y-o over a mile. This wasn’t the best race ever and those who took the short price on SNOW BOUNTY had to sweat as he took a while to get going. He’s qualified for handicaps now so that may be where he goes next.

The fifth was the afternoon’s feature, a handicap over a mile and a quarter. This looked pretty competitive on paper and so it proved with another bunch finish. My thought is that the form is a couple of notches below some of the Class 2 events we have seen of late and the time confirmed it was a traditional Lingfield “tactical” race. The big disappointment was SPEEDY SAM who folded tamely before the straight. SAMARINDA and DREAM LODGE both have shown speed at a mile and this race played to their strengths. They fought out a close finish with the former only just prevailing. WILL HE WISH ran his best ever race here in third while it all went wrong for LISATHEDADDY who really wants a strong pace over ten furlongs.

The sixth was a handicap over six furlongs. This concerned only two from a long way out with the wily old veteran FROMSONG outgunning the young pretender BENLLECH. The latter led briefly but the 6 lb hike in weights for his last win in a lower grade event probably counted, as did the resilience of the 10-y-o FROMSONG who owes his connections nothing. I note he won a similar race over a 2 lb lower mark in December 2005 so he is a model of consistency. Whether he can carry on with another jump in the ratings remains to be seen.

The closing event was a ten-furlong handicap. There were a number of reasons why EMPEROR COURT was entitled to come on for his run over CD behind SRI KUANTAN and he produced a sparkling performance suggesting he could be one to follow. He was always prominent and quickened nicely in the straight. I wonder if connections will seek a quick follow-up before re-assessment. BLU MANRUNA has never won at Lingfield but often runs well and did so again. Time may tell he faced a stiff task giving 5 lbs to the winner. It has, however, all gone wrong for SRI KUANTAN who ran very free and was well held. I think he needs a rest.

So do I after writing all this.
 
Thanks for the report Stodge, much appreciated as i didn't have time to watch any of Lingfield yesterday
 
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