Saturday 6th Feb – Raceday Preview
12.00
Despite not having looked straight forward on a number of occasions, the effort that Talking Point posted over course and distance 16 days ago would be enough to see her successful in this race. She posted an eye-catching speed figure for the grade that day and will be no doubt be played late by Callum Shepherd.
Merry Secret ran in some good novice races last season and wasn’t totally disgraced on any occasion, bar one trip to Ireland, where she ran well for a long way, but her effort petered out towards the end of the race. She went off 100/30 for a stronger contest than this a couple of weeks ago, but she lost her chance at the start when she stumbled and ducked right. If she can reproduce some of her earlier career form, where she had earned a rating of 74, she could run a huge race on just her second start for Mick Appleby, especially off her current mark of 61.
Win – Talking Point
Each way – Merry Secret
12.35
Recent course and distance winner Count Otto is surely going to be name on plenty of punters lips when looking at this contest. He was well-backed when he was successful three weeks ago but has since been put up 6lbs for that 1l victory, which does seem steep, however, sprinters in form are often hard to oppose.
If there is strong market support for Diligent Lady then it may pay to take note. She has only had six career starts and hasn’t been seen since a slightly disappointing run in September, but that may have been one race too much for her, in his first season racing. She did run better than the bare form suggests on some of her starts previous to that last run and she could still be improving.
Win – Count Otto
Each way – Diligent Lady
1.11
The Betway Kachy Stakes is one of two Fast-Track Qualifiers for finals day, although connections of Fizzy Feet won’t be thinking that far ahead, as this race has no doubt been the plan for a long time. She was a good winner here at Lingfield Park last time out, but she does need to improve again if she were to be successful. She is drawn well and will go forward from the stalls opening.
Misty Grey has been well supported by the Betway punters all week and it’s not hard to see why. He’s three from three since joining Tom Dascombe’s yard, with the change of scenery clearly rejuvenating the four year old. As a two year – when trained by Mark Johnston – he ran in some of the biggest two year old races of that season and performed with great credit, which proves the natural ability is there. He could still be improving now though and will be hard to beat.
It all seemed to click for Summerghand on the turf last season and the seven year old, who is the highest rated in the field, was running in listed and group contest last season. If he’s fit enough first time out, he could run very well.
Win – Misty Grey
Each way – Summerghand
1.45
Last year, Bangkok was a very impressive winner of the Betway Winter Derby Trial, which helped him shoot to the head of the market for the Betway Winter Derby. The same scenario could happen again if he were to win impressively again. He was narrowly beaten by Felix at Wolverhampton last time out, but he had to make his own running, which wouldn’t have suited him that day.
He wants something to attack at and needs to use his turn of pace to his advantage. Ryan Moore, who has a 21% strike-rate at Lingfield Park in the past five years, takes the ride for Betway ambassador, Andrew Balding, whose horses appear in great form.
Win - Bangkok
2.16
No doubt the focus will be on Coupe De Champagne who is seeking three straight successes, but she has been hiked up 12lb for her two latest small margin successes. That steep rise could be enough to foil her hat-trick bid, as there didn’t look a huge deal of improvement in her when she won an Apprentice Handicap last week.
Easy Equation is yet to pull up any tress in four career starts – two in France and two in the UK – but he did catch the eye when he was a staying-on fourth at Lingfield last time, out behind a very smart horse in La Tihaty. This step up in trip should clearly suit him and the booking of current AWC Season 8 leading jockey Richard Kingscote, is a plus.
Win – Easy Equation
2.51
Providing she has a clear run through, Kingdom Found should be tough to beat for James Fanshawe and Richard Kingscote in this 1m2f contest. She travelled well for a long way at Newcastle last time out but didn’t have the pace to quicken when she really needed to. Off the same mark and now upped in trip again here, she shouldn’t be too far away.
Despite finising out the back of the television in her three career starts to date, there has a modicum of promise from In The Genes. If she appreciates this longer trip and she’s started to work out what she has to do when she goes racing, she could surprise a few.
Win – Kingdom Found
Each way – In The Genes
3.25
It’s very hard to look away from Waldfabel who should take all of the beating. She was third in a hot contest at Newbury on her debut and, after a break, followed that up with a good victory at Kempton in December. She should be winning this as a formality.
Prismatic could follow her home on her stable debut for Michael Attwater.
Win – Waldfabel
Each way – Prismatic
4.00
Murhib has been a model of consistency since 2019 and was a good winner here on Wednesday. Only put up 2lb for that success, his connections have opted to ‘strike whilst the iron is hot’ and the 9 year old will be hard to stop if he’s in the same form as earlier this week.
A step up in trip must have been on the cards for Three Dragons for some time and I expect the Joseph Parr trained four year old to improve for it. He made up plenty of ground late on over 1m4f here last week and could run into a place this time.
Win – Murhib
Each way – Three Dragons
