Tag: Lingfield

Lingfield Thursday Preview

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Nabatean kept our noses in front at Nottingham on Wednesday and the flat racing switches to the all-weather tomorrow for a valuable card at Lingfield.

My regular followers will know that I am always keen on Newmarket maiden form but the 1.20 sets a bit of a poser with two promising with form from HQ. William Haggas saddles Sharqeyih, second to 50-1 shot Irish Rookie on her debut in a big field. She stayed on well without being given a hard time and is a nicely-bred daughter of Shamardal.

The big danger is Marco Botti’s Alfajer, equally promising when touched off by John Gosden’s Lady Correspondent. The race has split into two divisions and I would quite happily have backed them both if they hadn’t landed in the same heat! I may be clutching at straws here but Colorada finished closer to Alfajer on her debut than she did to Sharqeyih so I am going to side with the Haggas filly.

The longest race of the day is the Listed River Eden Fillies’ Stakes at 3.20 over a mile and five furlongs. Godolphin won it last year with Speckled who is back for another try but the money has been pouring on stable companion Hidden Gold. I watched the latter when she was thrashed by Rocket Ship at Pontefract in August and I would not have considered her for a race like this at the time. However, she went from last to first under hands and heels here last time out and has clearly improved.

Kikonga has been slightly disappointing this season and was beaten here a year ago while Tamasha is taking a big step up in class after winning easily at Salisbury. It may be one of those occasions when it is wise to follow the money.

Andrew Balding has provided this column with four winners in as many days and bids to extend the sequence with Intransigent. He won a shade cosily in a very valuable race at Ascot at the start of the month and meets disappointing favourite Prince’s Trust on 2lbs better terms here. He did put in one moderate run at Goodwood but has a touch of class about him and the stable are flying at present.

I have looked at the form for the Fleur De Lys Fillies’ Stakes inside out and upside down but cannot form a strong opinion. Water Hole comes out best on official figures but this is her sixth race in a reasonably short period. Dutch Rose was unlucky last time out but all of her wins have been at seven furlongs while Gifted Girl wouldn’t be out of it with the blinkers left off. She may be the best value in a really tricky race.

Sharqeyih 1.20 @10-9 Betfair

Gifted Girl 2.50 @12-1 Bet365

Hidden Gold 3.29 @9-4 Ladbrokes

Intransigent 3.50 @3-1 Bet365

Lingfield Tuesday Preview

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Flat racing fans are clinging on to the dying embers of the turf season but the action continues throughout the winter on the all-weather tracks. Lingfield stages an eight-race card on Tuesday with the action starting at 2.00.

In the opening race I like the chances of Compton Mill after his promising debut at Newbury. Not a great deal was expected of Hughie Morrison’s colt that day and he started at 33-1 under John Fahy. After settling at the rear, he moved through in the closing stages to finish fourth behind Yeenaan.

The form received a boost when the runner-up Stoked cruised home at Nottingham last week and Yeenaan won again on Monday. As Compton Mill was only a couple of lengths behind those two, he should be good enough to win his maiden before moving on to better things. His dam was the tough mare Classic Millennium who won numerous mile and a half handicaps so he should make up into a decent middle-distance horse.

Newbury form is again on show in the second where Perceus is fitted with a hood after finishing third in a Conditions race. He did finish seven lengths behind Snoano and he could have a race on his hands with Taysh who also shaped encouragingly at Newcastle. I wouldn’t want to take too short a price about the Tregoning runner.

Reaffirmed is trying to complete a hat-trick for Ed Vaughan in the sprint at 3.30 and I think he may be up to the task. He has taken a long time to discover what racing is all about but Luke Morris has made a great job of settling him in his most recent outings. He weaved through a narrow gap up the fence to win at Wolverhampton and then followed up under a penalty at Kempton.

He looked to have a lot to do that night when turning in but closed down the leaders in a matter of strides and needed to be driven out to win by a short-head. Some reports suggest that he held his head high in the closing stages but I think that is harsh and I think he can get the better of Findhorn Magic.

Finally, I like the chances of David Lanigan’s filly Sequester in the 5.00 race. She got off the mark here in August and should have followed up at Wolverhampton. David Allan rode her that day and found himself trapped on the rail turning in. He managed to extricate her to the outside but the post came in time for 50-1 shot Polar Forest. The winner has since won at Nottingham and Redcar so Sequester is worth another chance.

Compton Mill 2.00 @6-5 Betfair

Reaffirmed 3.30 @85-40 Bet Victor

Sequester 5.00 @9-2 Bet Victor

Lingfield Wednesday Preview

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Last Minute Lisa (tipped at 4-1) saved our bacon at Goodwood on Tuesday after a touch of “seconditis”. An odds-on winner and a non-runner left us all square on the day so we are still in funds going on to Lingfield’s Wednesday card.

The meeting is split between the all-weather and the turf and the pick of the action is the mile and a quarter handicap at 5.05. Paddy Power are offering a generous 5-1 about Shama’s Crown (although I am not sure how long that will last).

She is trained by Jeremy Noseda and ran a great race first time out when chasing up Luca Cumani’s Pleasant Valley. The winner went on to win impressively at Doncaster off a mark of 78 which suggests that Shama’s Crown is something to bet on off a rating of 81. She duly obliged on her second start over an inadequate mile with Ryan Moore bringing her down the centre of the track to win going away.

With Moore claimed for Alex Vino, Kieren Fallon gets to do the steering on this likeable filly and 5-1 looks an each-way steal.

There are two other runners that I like on the card, both two-year-olds. Charming Thought has to be the selection in the opening maiden race in the blue of Godolphin. He ran a fine race on his debut when chasing home Flash Fire. The winner was narrowly beaten in a decent little nursery at Goodwood on Tuesday but Charming Thought looks the sort to improve a few pounds.

He holds an entry in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury later this month so anything less than a win here would be disappointing. Her Majesty The Queen’s Kinematic was probably flattered by her proximity to Ivawood at Sandown but will probably be the biggest threat with the Balding stable in such fine form.

My final selection is Majestic Manner in the maiden at 3.30, trained by William Haggas. Her dam was Majestic Roi who won the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes in her time. Majestic Manner stayed on well at Windsor first time out under a considerate ride from Ryan Moore and will relish the extra furlong she gets on Wednesday.

There are a whole host of well-bred newcomers up against her including two from Sir Michael Stoute’s stable and one from John Gosden’s yard. Providing that there is nothing exceptional among them, Majestic Manner can get off the mark.

Charming Thought 2.0

Majestic Manner 3.30 at 14-5 Betfair

Shama’s Crown 5.05 at 5-1 Paddy Power

Lingfield Wednesday Preview

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The victories of Farraaj and Slade Power on Saturday rescued us after a tough week at rain swept Newmarket. Farraaj was tipped at 12-1 so I hope a few of you were on before his price shortened into the miserly 6-1 SP return.

I haven’t enjoyed the best of luck at Sandown over the years so I’m steering clear of tomorrow  night’s card and concentrating on the all-weather at Lingfield. This track is all about being in the right place on the home turn. Horses that run wide can lose too much ground and it is a deceptively short straight, especially if the leaders are still quickening.

Jockey Adam Kirby has made great strides in recent months and he partners the hat-trick seeking Annaluna in the two mile handicap at 3.10. She is nothing out of the ordinary but has looked as game as a pebble in winning her last two starts at Chepstow. In both races she had plenty of time to chuck in the towel as challenges came at her.

She is well in at the weights and my only concern is that Kirby keeps her on the pace on this course. If he can kick on before the turn, she may be hard to pass and Aiyana looks the most likely threat. Hughie Morrison’s yard is not in great form so I’m siding with Annaluna to make it three on the trot.

The Paul Kelleway Memorial Classified Stakes at 3.40 revives memories of “Pattern race Paul”. If you are familiar with the phrase “Tilting at Windmills”, that was often the accusation levelled at Kelleway with some of his more ambitious entries. He often had the last laugh with the likes of Swiss Maid and Media Luna.

My fancy for this race is the impressive Kempton winner Tenor. Like Farraaj on Saturday, he is up 9lbs but won with such authority that he is worth another try. The favourite is Knavery but he was not entirely convincing first time out, even if he did come up against a handicap good thing.

Finally I’m going for Clear Mind to continue John Gosden’s great run. She tracked her stable companion Seagull at Newmarket on her debut and didn’t quite have the pace to get to him. Nicky Mackay was on board and didn’t give her a hard time and she can win for William Buick at 4.40.

Annaluna 3.10 Lingfield @5-2 Paddy Power

Tenor 3.40 Lingfield @11-2 BetVictor

Clear Mind 4.40 Lingfield

Lingfield Saturday Preview

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Aidan O’Brien resumed normal service at Chester this week by winning the two Derby trials. Whether or not we see Orchestra and/or Kingfisher at Epsom is open to question but he may not be finished yet.

It’s classic trial day at Lingfield (on turf!). The going is reported to be good so they must have missed most of the wet stuff and both the Oaks and Derby trials look worthy of close attention.

The aforementioned Master of Ballydoyle runs two in the Derby Trial. Mekong River has much the better form having finished fourth in a Group 1 last season. Joseph O’Brien partners him with Ryan Moore aboard the unbeaten Blue Hussar. Moore teamed up with Orchestra earlier in the week and could be on the right one here too.

The form of his maiden win may be nothing to write home about but the style of his victory suggests he is a smart colt in the making. He is a son of Montjeu out of a Woodman mare and found seven furlongs a bit on the sharp side last November. Once he got to the home straight he overhauled seven or eight horses. I suppose you could question whether or not he will handle Lingfield but I expect him to get the trip.

Of the other runners, I have respect Munjaz who is a big burly colt with a future. He won his maiden at a time when anything trained by John Gosden was winning but things are a bit more difficult now. Sudden Wonder’s Newmarket form is nothing out of the ordinary and Blue Hussar represents the value bet.

The Oaks Trial at 2.20 sees the return to action of Andrew Balding’s Casual Smile. I’ve always had a soft spot for this filly because she is by Sea The Stars out of Oaks winner Casual Look. I backed her mum at 14-1 for the Oaks and this filly could be just as useful. She ran well in all three starts at two and I have written at length about Taghrooda’s victory in the past. I rate that the best maiden of the season and the form looks pretty good now!

You never know what to expect from fillies, the Cheshire Oaks being a case in point earlier this week. Sir Michael Stoute runs Queen’s Prize in the Royal colours. She won on her debut on the all-weather but this marks a big step up in class. Ralph Beckett loves this race but I doubt even he knows which is the best of his three. Stick with Casual Smile to boost the Taghrooda form yet again.

Casual Smile 2.20 Lingfield 3-1 Bet365, BetVictor

Blue Hussar 2.55 Lingfield 6-1 William Hill

 

Lingfield Friday Preview

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Lingfield stages the All-Weather Championships on Friday with a seven-race card offering excellent prize money. I am not a particular fan of the all-weather and I’m not convinced that this meeting with improve the level of competition. Dubai World Cup night it is not but you have to applaud them for trying.

At the last big meeting here we had hopes of a double with Grandeur and Ertijaal. Unfortunately the former let us down as Ryan Moore was unable to get cover from his wide draw. Both horses are back for more and have been treated much more kindly by the draw on this occasion.

Ertijaal has drawn four in the 3-year-old championship as he bids to follow up his course and distance victory over American Hope. The winning margin was only a head that day but it is worth remembering that he was drawn 13 and was having only the third run of his life. In the circumstances he did well to hang on under a determined drive from Paul Hanagan. Talk of a tilt at the 2000 Guineas seems to have been shelved and I see no reason to desert him here.

I am not quite sure what to make of Grandeur after his disappointing defeat last time. I had concerns, not just because of his being drawn in the car park but also the fact that he was fitted with cheek pieces for the first time. Ryan Moore felt that he had been lazy when hitting the front on his previous start but it is impossible to say whether they had any effect.

Robin Hoods Bay seized his opportunity to win well and Rebellious Guest continues to run well for George Margarson. John Gosden’s winning machine struck on the opening day of Newmarket with a double and he relies on Dick Doughtywylie. I’ll stick with Grandeur who should be able to settle nicely from stall 2.

Roger Charlton has faith in Captain Cat despite being edged out by Robin Hoods Bay last time. The five-year-old son of Dylan Thomas was on a few short-lists for the Lincoln at Doncaster but Charlton withdrew him due to the soft ground. He could be worth a bet in the mile race with his form working out nicely.

Perhaps the toughest race on the card is the Sprint with many old favourites joined in combat once again. I’m not convinced that Hawkeyethenoo is completely in love with this all-weather lark while Stepper Point goes beyond five furlongs for the first time. It may be worth taking a chance with Valbchek for the Noseda and Moore combination at the available odds.

Lingfield

2.55 Ertijaal

4.05 Valbchek at 7-1 Coral

4.40 Captain Cat at 6-1 Ladbrokes

5.20 Grandeur at 5-2 Bet365