Tag Archive for: Lingfield

Pullin issues upbeat going update ahead of Festival

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Officials at Cheltenham expect “lovely jumping ground” for next week’s Festival, if the weather forecasts prove accurate.

Cheltenham avoided the snowfall which has beset parts of Britain over the last 48 hours and on Wednesday afternoon clerk of the course Jon Pullin provided an upbeat update ahead of the four-day meeting, which starts on Tuesday.

“We avoided any snowfall overnight and we have had a combination of drizzle, light rain and sleet throughout the day today, but not amounting to anything of much volume,” said Pullin.

“There is still an unsettled forecast going forward. It is expected to be much the same, a combination of rain and sleet.

“Thursday and Monday look as if they will be the wettest of the days from a volume point of view, with bits and pieces in between.

“Form a cold point of view, we only dipped below zero briefly last night and it is expected to be a similar situation tonight. We might get below zero but nothing too significant.

“Friday into Saturday might be a little bit colder, but daytime temperatures on Saturday get back up. We could be minus 3C or minus 4C but that looks the only cold night of concern and temperatures get back up after that.

“It is as positive as you’ll get a clerk to be. Certainly there is nothing from a cold point of view that’s of concern and the bits and pieces of rain.”

A huge crowd will be in attendance at Cheltenham
A huge crowd will be in attendance at Cheltenham (Andrew Matthews/PA)

He went on: “A couple of days could be more significant in volume, but we’re OK. Both Thursday and Monday could be five millimetres to 10mm.

“If we get anything between the mid-range, that would see lovely jumping ground to start the week with.

“Next week looks like it will be warmer, with double-digit temperatures, just with a few showers.”

Catterick clerk of the course Fiona Needham was not so lucky, having to abandon Wednesday’s meeting following a very cold night.

The meetings at Fontwell, Lingfield and Kempton all went ahead following inspections.

Carlisle is subject to an inspection
Carlisle is subject to an inspection (Tim Goode/PA)

Prospects for racing at Carlisle on Thursday have improved markedly.

An inspection was called for 3pm on Wednesday with the course frozen, however, despite another bitterly cold night, the course was found to be raceable.

The fixture still needs to pass a 9am precautionary inspection on raceday though, due to the threat of frost.

Southwell will inspect at 7.30am and unless the forecast is incorrect, no problems are anticipated. Officials at Wincanton and Thurles will also check conditions at the same time.

Mixed fortunes on weather front

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Freezing temperatures overnight forced Catterick officials to abandon Wednesday’s card but there was better news for Fontwell, Lingfield and eventually, Kempton.

Unfortunately for Catterick the forecast for temperatures to reach -6C overnight materialised and a decision to call the meeting off was taken long before a scheduled 8am inspection.

Former jockey Philip Hide, now clerk of the course at Fontwell, was able to give the green light for their meeting shortly before a scheduled 8am precautionary inspection.

There had been a threat of snow in the area and while there was a light dusting, rain was beginning to fall to help remove it.

The all-weather card at Lingfield this afternoon was another under the threat of snow.

Around 5cm had fallen since around 3am, however, the course was being worked throughout the night and by 8am the snow had stopped.

The going has changed slightly, though, and is now described as standard to slow.

Officials at Kempton called a second precautionary inspection for 10am after a first look at 8am proved inconclusive.

The meeting had already moved from its regular evening slot to a 3.05pm start and by 10am clerk of the course Barney Clifford was able to give it the green light.

Southwell’s all-weather meeting on Thursday must survive a 7.30am inspection but officials are confident there should be no issues unless the current forecast is wrong.

Boughey eyeing Chartwell return for Classic victor Cachet

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George Boughey has identified the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield as a likely comeback target for his 1000 Guineas heroine Cachet.

The Hamilton Road handler enjoyed a fantastic campaign in 2022, with Cachet’s Classic triumph the clear highlight as he saddled 136 winners in Britain in only his fourth season with a licence.

Cachet was beaten a head by Mangoustine when chasing a Guineas double in the French equivalent just a fortnight later before finishing fifth in what proved to be her final start of the season in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

The daughter of Aclaim has not been seen in competitive action since, but has been kept in training as a four-year-old by owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing and Boughey was delighted to see her return to the Newmarket grass gallops for the first time this year on Tuesday.

“She’s doing well and cantered on the grass for the first time this morning,” said the trainer.

“It’s hugely exciting to have a Classic winner coming back as a four-year-old.

George Boughey celebrates following Cachet's 1000 Guineas success
George Boughey celebrates following Cachet’s 1000 Guineas success (David Davies/PA)

“She’s been off the track for a long time and a good spot for her to start back would be something like the Chartwell at Lingfield (May 13), which is on the same day as the Lingfield Derby Trial.

“She doesn’t have a penalty, which for a Classic winner running in a Group Three makes it quite a good spot for her I think.

“Seven furlongs on an undulating track on what can be fast ground, that’s where we’re looking at the moment anyway.”

Lord North proves a class apart in Winter Derby

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Lord North set himself up for a Dubai Turf hat-trick bid after outclassing his rivals in the BetUK Winter Derby at Lingfield.

Winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot three years ago, John and Thady Gosden’s charge has since claimed back-to-back Group One victories on World Cup night at Meydan.

The seven-year-old found Alenquer too strong in last year’s Winter Derby, but went on to dead-heat with Japan’s Panthalassa when defending his crown in Dubai and was back at Lingfield for his first appearance since being beaten just a length into fourth place in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in July.

Despite the lengthy absence, Lord North was the 8-11 favourite to make a successful comeback and could be called the winner a long way from home.

As his front-running stablemate Harrovian weakened, it was left for Lord North to reel in Tyrrhenian Sea in the straight and he did so with ease before pulling three and a quarter lengths clear in the hands of Robert Havlin.

“His work’s been a lot brighter and I think that was a better performance, even if the race didn’t have the depth of last year,” the winning rider told Sky Sports Racing.

“He was a bit laboured through the last furlong and a half last year, but today I was always comfortable he was going to pick up.

“The track doesn’t really suit him or play to his strengths. He’s better on galloping tracks coming off a strong pace, but his class shone through and he was showing us that (at home) – it’s like he’s back to being a four or five-year-old.

“Hopefully we can get back on song and win it (Dubai Turf) outright this year.”

Thady Gosden was delighted with Lord North's performance
Thady Gosden was delighted with Lord North’s performance (Mike Egerton/PA)

Joint-trainer Thady Gosden was in Riyadh to see Mostahdaf register an impressive victory on the Saudi Cup undercard and was thrilled to see Lord North also strike gold.

He said: “It’s a nice double! As you saw, he was midway in the field and he came round the bend and picked up really well.

“He has had a long time off the track, so was obviously a bit rusty, but he was given a great ride by Rab under hands and heels. He never panicked and showed that good turn of foot that we know he has.

“He has won the Dubai Turf twice and hopefully he can use this as a springboard to that, even though there is a month to go. As long as he comes out of the race well, we have a smooth run into that.”

Kimngrace (12-1) benefited from a cool ride from George Rooke to secure Listed honours in the BetUK Hever Sprint Stakes.

Making her first appearance since finishing sixth on the turf at Doncaster in the autumn, the Richard Hughes-trained filly was well back in the field rounding the final bend but flew home on the outside of runners to deny 100-30 favourite Tone The Barone by half a length.

Hughes said: “I have a race in mind for her at Deauville in April over five and a half furlongs and I needed to get a run into her if we’re going over there on soft ground.

“I could have run her in a handicap or a Listed race and I said we might as well have two bites of the cherry to try and get black type. To go and win it was brilliant.

“I said to George to hang on to the their tails as she’s not quite quick enough for five furlongs round here. He did exactly as I told him and he was a very brave, which is brilliant as he works hard.”

Lord North setting the standard in Winter Derby

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Lord North will be cramped odds as he attempts to go one better than last year’s second in the BetUK Winter Derby Stakes at Lingfield.

The seven-year-old has won eight times in an 18-race career, but had to settle for the runner-up berth behind Alenquer when sent off the 6-5 favourite 12 months ago.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained son of Dubawi used this Group Three contest to tune up for the Dubai Turf last season and his rider Robert Havlin has indicated that will be the plan once again – with the stable stalwart and former Royal Ascot winner reported to be showing plenty of zest in his work at home.

“We are happy with him at home,” said Havlin.

“It was a good stepping stone to start him off on the road to the Dubai Turf last year so we are taking the same route. Personally he feels a little bit brighter than he was this time last year, a little bit sharper in his mind, so we are hoping for a big run.

“I think I’ve ridden him seven times, won four on him and finished second twice so he’s a horse I know really well and I’ve ridden him his last few pieces of work and he’s in a good place.

Lord North ridden by James Doyle (right) wins the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2020
Lord North ridden by James Doyle (right) wins the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2020 (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“He’ll improve a lot for the run, but I just feel he is in nice form and that little bit further forward than he was last year so I can’t wait to ride him.”

The Clarehaven team have won this three times in the last four years and their three-strong squad for this years race also includes 2021 winner Forest Of Dean.

The Godolphin-owned seven-year-old had reopposing stablemate Harrovian (third) and William Knight’s King Of The South (fifth) behind when winning a Newcastle All-Weather Championships Fast-Track Qualifier last time and is the mount of South African jockey Collen Storey, who will be attempting to complete his ambition of winning a Group race in the UK.

He said: “Forest Of Dean is very well in himself. I sat on him again on Thursday morning and he had a bit of freshness in him. I actually think he has come on a bit from Newcastle.

“Rab rode him quite handy when they won the Winter Derby a couple of years ago, whereas at Newcastle I dropped him in and he flew when I pulled him out. It was impressive the way he quickened up.

“I won a stakes race in Zimbabwe on a filly called Raven Girl and have placed in a few other Stakes races as well. It is hard to get rides in these big races and I am very excited for this opportunity. With a bit of luck, hopefully we can pull it off.

“After I won on Forest Of Dean at Newcastle, I said my aim is to ride a Group winner over here. If I could tick that off, I would like to see what the year ahead is able to give me.”

Tyrrhenian Sea won three times on the all-weather last season and returns to 10 furlongs for the first time since finishing second in the Easter Classic at Newcastle last April.

“He’s in good form,” said trainer Roger Varian.

“Obviously Lord North is very much superior – not just of us, but all of the horses in the field on ratings and he will be a very hard horse to beat. But I think we measure up with the rest of the field on ratings and he deserves his place in the line-up.

“He’s training really well, his all-weather form is very good and we’re hopeful of a good run.”

Andrew Balding’s Fox Tales has plenty of back-class but has fitness to prove on his first start since August, while the field is complete by George Baker’s recent Bahrain hero Lucander and John Ryan’s Pistoletto.

Baker could bid to strike while the iron is hot with in-form Lucander

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George Baker may have the BetUK Winter Derby lined up for Lucander after his lucrative spell in Bahrain.

The six-year-old was formerly trained by Ralph Beckett and on changing stables was sent to spearhead Baker’s team of runners targeting valuable contests in Bahrain over the winter months.

His debut in the desert was a winning one as he took the Al Muharraq Cup in early December and last Friday he capped his stay in warmer climes with another success, this time in the Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Cup – a local Group Two.

The gelding is now in the checking-in stage of his journey home, and if all is well after his flight he will be headed to Lingfield on Saturday to contest the Group Three Winter Derby.

“He will BE jumping on an aeroplane from Bahrain in a few hours’ time, he won the big race over there on Friday and he seems very fresh and bouncy afterwards,” Baker said on Monday afternoon.

“Assuming all is well with him when he gets off the plane and gets back to us tomorrow afternoon, we’ll have a long hard look at Saturday’s race because when a horse is in good form you want to strike again.

“He’ll probably have a break after this, so if all is well we will hope to swing the bat on Saturday and then give him a bit of break after his time away ahead of some mid-summer targets.”

Lucander ran three times on the all-weather for Beckett, never winning but placing on each occasion and doing plenty to suggest the surface will be to his liking.

Baker said: “He hasn’t run on the all-weather for us, we’re still finding out about this horse but what we do know is that he is in great form. It’s probably a massive ask on Saturday but we thought it was a big ask last Friday.

“He’ll only run if we’re very happy with him on Wednesday and Thursday, but the indications are that he’s come out of Friday’s race really well and he’s got some decent form on the all-weather.

“With a horse that’s in good order, why not give it a go?”

Also entered in the race are the John and Thady Gosden trio of Harrovian, Lord North and Forest Of Dean.

The latter two horses bring specific race form to the table, with Lord North second in the race behind Alenquer last season and Forest Of Dean the winner in 2021.

Roger Varian’s striking grey Tyrrhenian Sea is another to stand his ground alongside Simon and Ed Crisford’s Winter Oaks heroine Al Agaila, Andrew Balding’s Foxes Tales, William Knight’s King Of The South and John Ryan’s Pistoletto.

Unforgotten puts down Lincoln marker in Lingfield victory

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Unforgotten looks poised to run in the SBK Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster after continuing his promising comeback from a near two-year absence at Lingfield on Friday.

Having got off the mark at the third time of asking in a seven-furlong Newcastle novice, an injury subsequently prevented him from running as a four-year-old.

The lightly-raced son of Exceed And Excel had been sidelined for 659 days before making a winning return when trying a mile for the first time at Lingfield earlier this month.

He followed up with another success over the same course and distance, and looks set to make up for lost time if his victory in the Spreadex Sports 2nd To Rag Insurance Handicap is taken at face value.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Godolphin gelding was three-wide off the final bend under Robert Havlin, but the 5-6 favourite found plenty for pressure and looked better the further he went, swooping past Brunel Charm inside the final 200 yards to score by half a three-quarters of a length.

Paddy Power cut Unforgotten to 10-1 from 14-1 for the Doncaster showpiece on April 1.

Thady Gosden, speaking from Qatar, said: “He is a horse who has had a slightly unlucky career so far, but he is back on track now.

“He won his last start well and obviously won nicely today, and we will have to consider the Lincoln. We’ll see how the ground shapes up and how he’s taken it.

“He stretched out nicely over the mile and he seems to appreciate that extra distance. Let’s see how he comes out of the race and take things from there.”

Smith completed a Robert Havlin double
Smith completed a Robert Havlin double (John Walton/PA)

Smith (3-1) gave Havlin a double on the card as he guided the Lydia Richards-trained seven-year-old to a neck success in the two-mile BetUK’s Acca Club £5 Free Bet Handicap.

It was the Dawn Approach gelding’s seventh career success and sixth on the all-weather.

Godolphin similarly recorded a brace when Spring Promise (15-8) made all under Jamie Spencer in the seven-furlong talkSPORT Powered By Fans Fillies’ Novice Stakes.

The Charlie Appleby-trained Lope De Vega three-year-old was not winning out of turn, having finished a narrow runner-up on both her first two starts this term.

The winning rider said: “She put her experience to good use. The sharp seven furlongs around here was probably a little too sharp for her.

“She wasn’t able to stamp her authority in the race that she probably would have done on a more galloping track.

“The fitting of cheekpieces helped her concentrate a bit better. When she had company in the last furlong, she wasn’t going to be passed.”

Sayifyouwill (8-1) has shown plenty of verve on the all-weather and notched a sixth success on a artificial surface in the Spreadex Sports Best Premier League Odds Handicap.

Sayifyouwill gained a sixth all-weather success under Sean Levey
Sayifyouwill gained a sixth all-weather success under Sean Levey (John Walton/PA)

The Amanda Perrett-trained daughter of Sayif, dropped to a mark of 78, equalled a career-best, coming wide in the seven-furlong contest and staying on strongly under Sean Levey to defy Jilly Cooper by a short head.

Sassy Redhead (2-1 favourite) made the most of the 7lb pull with Miss Moonshine, turning the tables on her following defeat at Kempton last time in the six-furlong It’s Time To Turn To talkSPORT Handicap.

The William Stone-trained Harry Angel filly was given a fine ride by Collen Storey to score by three-quarters of a length.

Lingfield defeat spells end of Goshen’s chasing hopes

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There was no joy for Goshen at Lingfield on Tuesday as his second run over fences ended in disappointment.

One of only three runners going to post for the At The Races App Market Movers Beginners’ Chase, Gary Moore’s seven-year-old was the first beat and trailed home 22-legths adrift of Paul Nicholls’ Quel Destin (8-1), who edged out Venetia Williams’ Christopher Wood in the hands of Bryony Frost.

It was a similar story to his chasing debut at Ascot for the 4-6 favourite, who failed to warm to the task of jumping fences while his cause was not helped by racing on ground quicker than his optimum.

Racing left-handed was also not in Goshen’s favour as his two rivals set out to claim the scalp of the popular son of Authorised and his handler confirmed the defeat would probably signal the end of the chasing experiment.

“The ground was too quick and they went out to get him beat,” said Moore.

“They got him beat because they went quite hard and round here today, you needed to be on the front end because the ground is pretty quick.

“I would say that’s probably it now (for fences). At least I know now that we don’t really think he’s a chaser, so we’ll stick to hurdles.”

There was better luck for the Moore family when Teddy Blue survived flattening the final flight to get on the scoresheet in the Download The At The Races App Maiden Hurdle.

Third in the Gerry Feilden behind First Street at Newbury previously, a return to the Berkshire track could now be on the cards for the Betfair Hurdle on February 11.

“What he beat I don’t know, but he’s done it and done it all right,” continued Moore.

“He needed to win to get in the Betfair Hurdle and hopefully that gets him in – but he will have to improve on what he did today.”

Issar D’Airy then made it a double on the day for Jamie and Gary Moore when taking the At The Races App Expert Tips Handicap Hurdle as the 9-4 favourite.

Goshen back for second try over the larger obstacles at Lingfield

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The multi-dimensional Goshen has another chance to tackle the larger obstacles when he lines up at Gary Moore’s local track Lingfield on Tuesday.

Already proven on the Flat and over hurdles, the seven-year-old made an eagerly-awaited chasing debut at Ascot on his seasonal bow – but struggled on ground quicker than ideal to trail home well beaten in third.

Since then he has thrived over hurdles in his two most recent outings, winning the Ascot Hurdle before finishing a brave second on a first try at three miles in the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle on Boxing Day.

But with an engagement during Lingfield’s Winter Million weekend lost to the weather and Moore searching for suitable options before Wincanton’s Kingwell Hurdle on February 18, Goshen has a second bite of the chasing cherry in the At The Races App Market Movers Beginners’ Chase that only has a maximum field of three.

“It will be a bit of fun won’t it,” said Moore.

“It’s such a great track for a novice and is just down the road – we thought why not? The next race over hurdles he can run in is at Wincanton, otherwise it is the stayers’ route and he isn’t going to win a Stayers’ Hurdle.”

Goshen is rated 18lb higher than both Christopher Wood and Quel Destin that stand in opposition, and Moore hopes the race will give a good indication of whether the seven-time hurdles winner has a future over fences.

“We shouldn’t really be trying to win a novice chase this year should we,” he continued. “But it will tell me if he’s good enough to go back over fences next year or not.

“We could have done with some rain really for him, it’s not really soft enough for him. But listen, if he can’t jump round there (Lingfield), he won’t jump round anywhere.

Goshen ridden by jockey Jamie Moore goes onto win the Virgin Bet Contenders Hurdle at Sandown Park racecourse last year
Goshen ridden by jockey Jamie Moore goes onto win the Virgin Bet Contenders Hurdle at Sandown Park racecourse last year (Steven Paston/PA)

“It’s not the way round he likes going but with only three runners he has to take his chance. The cheekpieces are on just to keep him a bit more focussed.

“If it was the other way round he would take a lot of beating, but left-handed and the ground being on the good to soft side might not be a help to him, he would be better on softer going.”

Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting frozen off

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Despite a huge effort by officials and groundstaff at Lingfield the third day of the Winter Million fixture has been abandoned due to a frozen track.

Prospects had looked bleak earlier in the week and Friday’s scheduled card, the first of the three-day Winter Million meeting, was called off a long way in advance.

However, a thaw towards the end of the week, particularly on Saturday which enabled the course to become raceable, raised hopes the valuable fixture featuring the Fleur Du Lys Chase would be able to take place.

Forecasts ranged from between minus 1C and minus 4C with clerk of the course George Hill confessing it would need to be towards the lower end to stand any chance.

Unfortunately temperatures reached a bitter minus 5C on course and the efforts of up to 50 people in covering up the course with frost sheets went to waste with the meeting called of long before a scheduled 8am precautionary inspection.

Hill tweeted: “***RACING ABANDONED*** (Sun 22 Jan). Currently -5C, inspection brought forward as currently frozen in places with no signs of improvement with the forecast. Despite our best efforts, the weather has beaten us.”

It means there has been no racing on turf in the UK since Hereford on Monday but Navan did manage to race on Saturday in Ireland and racing is due to take place at Thurles on Sunday.

There was also bad news from Market Rasen who abandoned their meeting on Friday, set to feature the Listed Alan Swinbank Mares’ Open National Flat race, but swiftly rearranged for Tuesday.

However, much colder temperatures than forecast over the weekend has meant there has been no discernible improvement in the track and early on Sunday morning Tuesday’s fixture was also abandoned.

The going report read: “Following a second consecutive night of un-forecast -5C the track now has significant areas of frozen ground, including under the frost covers. Original forecast for improved conditions has not materialised and therefore no prospect of the ground thawing before racing.”

Exeter’s meeting on Tuesday must survive a 4pm inspection on Monday while Leicester will inspect at 3.30pm on Monday for their meeting on the same day following successive minus 5C nights over the weekend.

Kempton’s all-weather meeting on Monday must survive an 8am precautionary inspection on raceday due to the threat of freezing fog and low temperatures having passed a 12.30pm precautionary inspection on Sunday.