Lingfield and Ascot Saturday Preview and Tips – DS
Lingfield and Ascot Saturday Preview
We did the opposite of finishing with a flourish at Chester. Fame And Aclaim ran alright but could only manage 6th. Reshoun lost all chance in the first furlong and it’ll be back to Ascot for him. It is a busy day tomorrow with a veritable feast of action live on ITV4. Check out Dave Stevos’ Haydock, Lingfield and Ascot Saturday preview and tips below.
1.45 Ascot -Handicap (Class 3)
With a couple of mm of rain forecast on Friday night, it’ll be beautiful, good ground at Ascot. The opening race of the day is a 17 runner class 3 handicap over 12f. The one that makes a bit of appeal at big odds on his return to turf is Barn Owl. This son of Frankel was trained by Roger Charlton last season. After wind surgery in March he really found his form and he rattled off four excellent efforts, winning twice and finishing 2nd twice.
A win at Ripon off 82 was followed up with 2nds off 84 at Ripon and Sandown. He then notched up another victory at Beverley off 84. He had one more run on the all-weather for Charlton (3rd off 91) and he was then bought at the sales by Gary Moore for £75k. Barn Owl has failed to beat a rival in two starts for Moore, in a G3 and a handicap, both at Lingfield. I wouldn’t hold them efforts against him because he likely needed the first run and going left handed is not his thing.
His four good runs last summer all came on grass and going right handed. Good or quicker is perfect for him and Hector Crouch takes over from Rhys Clutterbuck in the plate. This owner has had three previous winners on the level and Crouch rode them all. This horse’s record on right handed tracks on turf is 1221 and if he is going to come back to form, it’ll be at that type of track (which Ascot is). Off just 4lbs higher than when winning easily at Beverley, Barn Owl is worth chancing e/w at 33/1.
Lingfield and Ascot Saturday Tip: Barn Owl e/w @ 33/1 (5 places)
2.20 Ascot – Buckhounds Stakes (Listed)
Hopefully all eight runners stand their ground for this Listed heat. Al Aasy brings form from the top table into the race and if he runs to his best, he wins. At an e/w price, Mandoob also has one piece of form that gives him strong place claims. Trained by Brian Meehan, this son of Farrh won his first two starts last season. A novice win over 12f at Lingfield was followed by another novice win at Haydock on good to firm.
Meehan stepped him up in class on his third start at Newmarket. He ran a cracker in that 13f G3, finishing just 2.5L behind the now 120 rated G1 winner Yibir (Stowell well behind). He finished off his season with a poor 3rd at this track behind Scope but the ground was too soft for him on that occasion. Mandoob has had a wind op in the off season so if that was bothering him last year, he could have even more scope for improvement.
Today’s ground will be more to his liking and he won first time up last year so his lack of a run isn’t a huge worry. Dropping back to 12f should be in this fella’s favour too. Meehan has his horses in decent form and Sean Levey has a decent record for him (6/55 with 21 Top 4 finishes). The fav will be hard to beat but with three places on offer, Mandoob is the e/w pick at odds of 12/1.
Lingfield and Ascot Saturday Tip: Mandoob e/w @ 12/1
2.40 Lingfield – Derby Trial Stakes (Listed)
Just the five runners for this Derby Trial and I am keeping faith with Zechariah. We backed him on his return at Newmarket when he trailed in 6th of 6 behind Native Trail. The son of Nathaniel shaped as though he would relish a longer trip and he gets that today. In that Newmarket heat (8f gd) Martyn Meade’s charge was a bit keen early and he was bang there as they hit the 2f pole. However, the race then turned into a sprint and he didn’t have the speed to go with them.
However, although he got left behind as they quickened, I thought he still kept on very well and he was only 6.75L behind the winner. Star Of India finished 0.5L ahead of him in 5th and he hacked up at Chester this week. The drop back into Listed company is a plus and he’ll relish the quick ground at Lingfield. Tom Marquand won on his only previous ride on Zechariah and at odds of 11/1, he is the e/w selection.
Lingfield and Ascot Saturday Tip: Zechariah e/w @ 11/1 NAP
3.00 Haydock – Swinton Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)
Just when you think the jumps season is over… The Swinton Hurdle is the sole live race of the day from Haydock and a full field of 17 will line up behind the tape. The one I am backing at around 25/1 is the 10yo Ingleby Hollow. Formerly trained by David O’Meara, this son of Beat Hollow is an admirably consistent sort. He rarely runs a bad race and he deserves to get his head in front in a valuable race like this.
On his first two runs for Rebecca Menzies he was beat a short head at Perth and a neck at Cartmel off 121 and 123 respectively. In October he was only beat 4L off 125 in a decent handicap at Cheltenham. He landed his first race for Menzies at Doncaster in November (16.5f gd/sft) off 123, hacking up by almost 4L.
After a 4 month winter break, he returned to action with a grand run at Ayr. He then went for a big pot over today’s C&D and he was beat under 3L into 4th. That was a cracking effort and he is in off the same mark again today. You couldn’t argue that this horse is well treated or thrown in, but he should run his race and if things fall right for him, he could win. 33/1 looks a bit too big to me and at those odds, Ingleby Hollow is the each way pick.
Haydock Saturday Tip: Ingleby Hollow e/w @ 33/1 (5 places) NB
3.15 Lingfield – Oaks Trial Stakes (Listed)
Given Aidan O’Brien’s form at Chester, Emily Dickinson is an obvious starting point here. She didn’t look up to much on her first two outings but the money came for her at Naas last time and she duly obliged (10f gd). By Dubawi, this filly is bred for the job. Her dam won the Irish Oaks and her sire is one of the best in the business. However, her bare form isn’t that impressive and the runner up to her at Naas was beat in a Gowran maiden next time out. I think she could be worth opposing.
The one I like at a price is Three Priests. Jefferson Smith, a 26 year old French rider, will be on board and he knows this filly well. She was only seen once last season and it was at this track. She ran a lovely race over 7f (gd/fm), beaten 1.25L for the win. On her reappearance in March the daughter of Deep Impact failed to get up by a nose in a Wolverhampton Novice.
Given her pedigree, fast ground should suit her much better than the all-weather. The step up in trip should suit too. Her dam won over 11f (G3) and her half sister was a Listed winner over 12f. She is also related to Again and Aclaim so there is speed in there too. She is only rated 75 but she is bred to be a lot better than that. Back on quick ground, Three Priests could run into the frame at odds of 16/1.
Lingfield and Ascot Saturday Tip: Three Priests e/w @ 16/1
3.50 Lingfield – Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes (Group 3)
Rob Hornby has been off my Christmas card list since his ride on Scope in the Leger last season. He further blotted his copybook at Chester when costing Count D’Orsay the race. However, I am giving him a chance for redemption in this 7f Group 3. Long time followers might remember me tipping up Rosemary And Thyme at Carlisle (7f gd/fm) and Sandown (8f gd/sft) last season. She ran really well in those Listed heats to finish 4th and I think she is capable of earning some black type.
This daughter of Camelot should enjoy the ground at Lingfield and her sole win so far came at today’s 7f trip (on the all-weather here). She ran really well on her seasonal comeback last term and she returns to action with her trainer in superb form. Hughie Morrison has had 8 runners in the last fortnight and they have returned form figures of 23117722. Obviously, I’d prefer another jockey but Rosemary And Thyme ran a cracker for Hornby at Sandown so hopefully he gets a good tune out of her today. At odds of 33/1, she is worth chancing e/w.
Lingfield and Ascot Saturday Tip: Rosemary And Thyme e/w @ 33/1
4.05 – Victoria Cup Handicap (Class 2)
The 3.30 handicap for the fillies made no appeal as a betting heat. So, we move onto the last race of the day, The Victoria Cup. Where better to start with our old pal Ropey Guest. We were on him last year in this when he ran a great race to finish 6th off 98. He was only beat 2.25L but crucially, the ground was soft. This fella is probably a stone better when the mud is flying and if it was soft, I’d be all over him off 5lbs lower than last year. However, on this ground I am going to leave him alone.
Looking at the race, it seems like the pace is most likely to come from the middle to high stalls. Shoot To Kill (10), Eagleway (11) and Baldemero (14) are all likely to be keen to get on with things and I am hoping that they give Orbaan something to aim at from stall 15. Trained by David O’Meara, this horse shaped ok on his first two runs of the season. His mark has dropped to 89 now and Jack Duern takes off another 3lbs.
Interestingly, Duern has never ridden for O’Meara before but he is 3/23 for this owner with a further 6 Top 4 finishes. The drop of overnight rain means there should be just enough juice in the ground for this fella and with Duern’s claim, he is effectively 14lbs lower than he was for his last win at York. He ran really well over a mile here in September 2020 (beat 3L off 103) and he should be fine in a strongly run race over 7f. Orbaan is too well handicapped to ignore and at odds of 40/1, he is worth backing e/w.
