Both of Wednesday’s National Hunt meetings are subject to early morning inspections but there is plenty of action on the all-weather with 14 races across Lingfield and Kempton.
The action gets under way at 12.50 at Lingfield with the feature race being the 32Red Conditions Stakes at 3.00. This promises to be a real stamina test over just short of two miles and Godolphin’s Anglophile attempts the distance for the first time.
The four-year-old gelding is a son of Dubawi out of a mare by Caerleon and certainly races as though he will stay. He was very progressive last season, winning a ten furlong handicap at Leicester in June before switching to the all-weather.
He got up late to beat Grendisar in December and followed up off a 5lbs higher mark when beating Mymatechris by a short-head over a mile and a half. He was expected to win here last weekend but could not quite peg back Noble Gift in a falsely-run race.
There were only three runners and the front two quickened up from the turn. He should get a more even pace here and may still have more improvement to come. The danger is Castilo Del Diablo who was only a length behind Anglophile here last month and is now 4lbs better off. You can forget his last run where he was badly hampered a quarter of a mile from home.
Franco’s Secret could defy top weight in the 3.35 after just failing to get up at Kempton last time out. He didn’t show anything until his third career start behind Nigel’s Destiny in October where he ran on late. He then produced a late surge to beat Rightway by a neck and was given a handicap mark of 72. He found seven furlongs a bit too sharp when third to Jungle Bay but improved when stepped up to a mile here on New Year’s Eve.
He overcame trouble in running to dead-heat with Bosstime. He looked unlucky not to follow up at Kempton last weekend when finishing fast behind Gracious George and should go well off the same mark here.
Godolphin can land an across-the-card double with Blue Aegean in the 32Redsport.com Handicap at 6.30. The filly was an easy three-length winner at Chelmsford City earlier this month and runs here under a 6lbs penalty.
She was thought good enough to contest the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer but lost her way after that. She wore a hood for the first time at Chelmsford and could be starting to fulfil her potential. The danger may be Harry Hurricane who beat subsequent winner Emirates Skycargo at Wolverhampton last time. He is dropping back a furlong but also ran at Ascot last summer and is also on the upgrade.
Franco’s Secret 3.35 Lingfield @9-4 William Hill
Anglophile 3.00 Lingfield @2-1 Bet365
Blue Aegean 6.30 Kempton @15-8 Betfair
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