The exciting Bangkok features among nine six-day confirmations for the £100,000 G3 Betway Winter Derby (3.15pm) at Lingfield Park on Saturday, February 22.
The 10-furlong Polytrack contest, one of the highlights of the All-Weather Championships, is a Fast-Track Qualifier for the £200,000 Betway Easter Classic over the course and distance on Finals Day, Good Friday, April 10.
Bangkok is the 18/25 favourite with Betway following a very comfortable success in the Listed Betway Winter Derby Trial on his All-Weather debut at Lingfield Park on February 1, when he came home four and a half lengths clear of Court House (John Gosden). A G3 winner on turf, four-year-old Bangkok is attempting to provide Kingsclere handler Andrew Balding with a first winner in the Betway Winter Derby.
Alistair Donald, Racing Manager for owner King Power Racing, said today: "Bangkok is in good form and the Betway Winter Derby is the intended target.
"He has been pleasing Andrew and the team at Kingsclere since the Winter Derby Trial.
"He obviously has to take on Dubai Warrior who looks a worthy opponent along with Court House, but we are hopeful of a good performance from Bangkok.
"He is a worthy favourite and a reproduction of his latest run should see him go close and hopefully come out on top."
Britain's champion trainer John Gosden has two contenders including Court House, who filled the runner-up position behind Bangkok last time out and also finished second in last year's Betway Winter Derby behind stable companion Wissahickon.
Gosden could also be represented by the progressive Dubai Warrior. The four-year-old justified favouritism with a convincing success over Court House in the Listed Betway Quebec Stakes on his latest start in December and has won four of his five starts on the All-Weather.
A number of horses who finished behind Bangkok in the Betway Winter Derby Trial also remain in contention, including the third Dalgarno (Jane Chapple-Hyam), fourth Pactolus (Stuart Williams) and fifth Master The World (David Elsworth). The latter plundered the Betway Winter Derby in 2018 and could be joined in the 10-furlong event by stablemate Entangling,who has won two of his six starts since joining his current trainer.
The nine going forward are completed by Century Dream (Simon Crisford), a G3 winner at Epsom in 2018, and Normal Norman (John Ryan), who scored in handicap company at Kempton Park in December.
Betway Winter Derby - Betway prices: 18/25 Bangkok; 9/4 Dubai Warrior; 8/1 Century Dream; 9/1 Court House; 25/1 Dalgarno, Master The World; 33/1 Entangling, Pactolus; 80/1 Normal Norman.
The exciting Good Effort (Ismail Mohammed) could bid for his fourth straight victory on the All-Weather in the other Listed race on the card, the £45,000 Betway Hever Sprint Stakes (2.05pm, 12 entries) over five furlongs.
Good Effort, a five-year-old son of Shamardal, has carried all before him on the All-Weather this winter and impressed last time out when taking the six-furlong Listed Betway Cleves Stakes at Lingfield Park on February 1.
The opposition may include lightly raced four-year-old Hareem Queen (Karl Burke) and recent Wolverhampton scorer Watchable (David O'Meara).
Betway Hever Sprint Stakes - Betway prices: 6/4 Good Effort; 9/2 Hareem Queen, Watchable; 5/1 Major Jumbo; 11/2 Furious; 7/1 Royal Birth; 12/1 Primo Uomo; 14/1 Corinthia Knight, Hathiq, Puds, Sceptical; 33/1 Chitra
Lingfield Park's seven-race programme starts at 1.30pm and ends at 4.55pm.
