Montmartin (15:20) has caught the boffins’ imagination.
Timeform’s Lingfield betting tips
12:50 – My Mate AJ
13:20 – Cayman Dancer
13:50 – Special John
14:20 – Blue Sky Dreaming
14:50 – Bollin Thou
15:20 – Montmartin
15:50 – Lady Pretender
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
A smallish field for this opening bumper but it’s still an interesting race. MY MATE AJ shaped encouragingly on his debut at Southwell in November, looking the likeliest winner at the top of the straight, but showing signs of greenness in the closing stages, and he gets the vote to build on that. However, strong market support for Paul Nicholls’ newcomer Le Cold Grey would put a slightly different slant on things. Irish point recruit Itsinthename would also firmly enter the reckoning should the betting speak in his favour.
CAYMAN DANCER was fairly useful on the Flat for Charlie Johnston, and he did good work late on starting out for this yard when second on his hurdles debut at Newbury last month. That was an encouraging start in this sphere and shades the vote over Wondering Why, who is capable of winning one of these judged on his placed efforts at Southwell and Huntingdon. Unjeu Royal stepped up on his hurdles debut when second at Huntingdon and is another to consider.
SPECIAL JOHN is a younger stayer on the up for a very capable yard, and he can improve again to land the hat-trick on first start over a marathon trip. Hidden History couldn’t build on a promising start over fences at Sandown last time but he’s unexposed over this sort of distance and may get back on track for the Dan Skelton yard. Val Dancer merits respect returned to a more extreme test, while Makin’yourmindup would be interesting if back to his useful best.
BLUE SKY DREAMING should have more to offer now handicapping over further and gets the vote for Alan King. Sunday Soldier is well handicapped if a return to hurdling sparks a return to her best form and is second choice ahead of Sea Warrior, who showed promise in his qualifying runs and didn’t get a chance to show what he could do on last month’s handicap debut.
BOLLIN THOU is thriving at present, opening his account at Uttoxeter two starts ago, and easily defying a 7lb penalty at Hereford last week. The way he cruised clear on that occasion suggests he has much more to offer and he can again defy a 7 lb penalty to land a hat-trick under Sean Bowen. Inion Tiogair isn’t one for maximum faith but has hit the frame on three of her 4 starts this season, while Mild Magic and Directly can both do better now handicapping and should be noted for support.
It was highly encouraging to see MONTMARTIN perform as well as he did when third on chase debut at Ffos Las spring, particularly bearing in mind that he was returning from almost two years on the sidelines. If able to build on that back from a nine-month absence here, he will have a serious chance off this 3 lb lower mark. One Last Glance and Koenigsstern both found just one too last time out and are feared most in that order of preference, while Thruthelookinglass is another strong candidate.
Though it was only a three-runner affair in which LADY PRETENDER somewhat belatedly got off the mark at Plumpton last month, there was enough in that performance to suggest that this 7 lb higher mark may not prove beyond reach in a race of this nature. It’s probably worth overlooking Diamond Days’ latest effort and he is second choice ahead of Begin The Luck and Constant Friday.
Timeform’s Lingfield betting tips
12:50 – My Mate AJ
13:20 – Cayman Dancer
13:50 – Special John
14:20 – Blue Sky Dreaming
14:50 – Bollin Thou
15:20 – Montmartin
15:50 – Lady Pretender
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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