Some competitive racing at Lingfield to start the week and Gimme Five (2.15) beat Deadline Day, indeed it is, at Wolverhampton off a 7lbs lower mark when last seen back in October and might be up to defying the rise. King’s Request won the corresponding race 12 months ago but is 10lbs higher today although he did win off today’s mark back in March. He hasn’t been seen since finishing last of ten at Kempton back in November and is best watched at present although a market move would be significant.
Frankie Dettori gets the leg up on Wajeeh (2.50) who showed ability on debut to finish third to a couple of well-bred Godolphin animals. The selection cost 250,000 Guineas as a yearling and missed his juvenile campaign but he is bred to be smart and many Richard Hannon trained runners improve considerably for their initial experience.
Starlight Symphony is beginning to look very well handicapped for Eve Johnson Houghton in the Fillies’ handicap but Kind Invitation (3.20) won first time out as a juvenile on the all-weather and showed enough on her second start as a 3-y-o to suggest she is well up to winning off this mark. There is no better jockey at Lingfield than Adam Kirby and it wouldn’t surprise me if he tried to make all from his excellent draw in stall two.
There is a good 7f fillies’ handicap at Wolverhampton and Don’t Be (3.10) can take her winning run to five for Sir Mark Prescott although she has nothing in hand of Fashion Line on recent running the today’s track. The latter is apprentice ridden on this occasion and will not appreciate a tactical affair given her two career wins have been over a mile; it will be interesting to see if 7lb claimer Michael Kenneally tries to make all.
There is a precautionary inspection due at Musselburgh but the racecourse executive are optimistic of staging their competitive card. It would be fair to say that Craig Nichol was not overly hard on Jack Steel (1.30) at Wetherby last time when fifth behind another JP McManus owned horse Beg To Differ. AP McCoy takes over this afternoon and this wining pointer should appreciate todays better ground.
The Donald McCain stable are in much better form than when Silver Gent (3.00) last run and the drop back from three miles to two-and-a-half is another plus. He can race off the same mark as when scoring over timber back in May and this winning point-to-pointer could be very well treated.
Honourable Gent (4.00) was well backed but beginning to run out of petrol when coming down two out on his first start in over a year over C&D last month. He is entitled to come on for the run and is likely to be more amenable to restraint given he was far too free on that occasion. Today’s forecast better ground will suit and he must go close despite being raised 5lbs.
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