chased winner, ridden to challenge from 3f out until approaching final furlong, no extra
made all, steadied pace 7f out, ridden and quickened over 2f out, found extra when pressed inside final furlong
fly jumped start, in rear, switched left over 2f out, ridden and headway over 1f out, pressed winner inside final furlong, not quicken
always in rear, struggling from 4f out
chased winner until 4f out, ridden and weakened 2f out
keen, chased winner until over 3f out, ridden over 2f out, kept on same pace from over 1f out
Nonrunner
Small field staying handicaps around here are notoriously difficult to solve but we'll chance SOUNDBYTE ahead of Pearl and Babilu. Our selection actually has a bit to find with Mr Plod at these weights but the latter is something of a Lingfield specialist with something to prove over this trip too. With that in mind we fancy Soundbyte to come out comfortably the better of the two having won over course and distance two starts ago. The gelding then ran just a moderate race on the turf but as a consequence returns to race here off a mark just 3lbs higher than when he won, so with conditions ideal he's given the vote. Pearl ran well on a rare foray into the flat world last time when looking likely to win a furlong out. Alison Thorpe's mare has a fair rating judging by her relatively decent hurdles form and must enter calculations, although she may need an end-to-end gallop which appears unlikely. Babilu has been running creditably enough over timber of late without threatening to win, however she did gain success when last taking to the flat and must be considered, although she's got a bit to do at these weights. Coda Agency is a four-time course-and-distance winner so must be respected but he ran no race last time and we prefer Soundbyte.
Soundbyte 9-1 (9-5) Mid-division, steady headway 4f out to get in behind leaders 3f out, weakened 2f out, 7th of 12, 16l behind Satwa Gold (9-5) at Newbury 2m hcp 0-85 (4) gd in Apr.
Coda Agency 13-2 (9-8) In touch, pushed along over 3f out, ridden and weakened over 2f out, 8th of 11, 19l behind Mountain Forest (8-5) at Kempton 2m hacp 0-70 (5) pol in Apr.
Mr Plod 11-4 (8-5) Towards rear, pushed along over 4f out, ridden over 3f out, effort on inside over 1f out, no impression final furlong, 5th of 7, 5l behind Chalice Welcome (9-3) at Lingfield 1m 4f hcp 0-75 (5) pol in Apr.
Babilu 9-4fav (9-4) Held up, headway 3f out, challenged 2f out, ridden to lead over 1f out, stayed on, won at Chepstow 2m clm stks (6) sft in Jul beating Hill Of Clare (9-2) by 1l, 9 ran.
Annie The Doc 9-1 (9-3) Prominent, 3rd from 4f out, no extra straight, 13th of 15, 37l behind Shinkansen (8-13) at Roscommon 1m 4f app hcp gs in Sep '08.
Haldibari (IRE) 14-1 (8-10) Prominent, pushed along over 5f out, weakened 3f out, tailed off, 8th of 10, well behind Theola (8-12) at Pontefract 2m 1f hcp 0-75 (5) gf in Sep.
Pearl (IRE) 20-1 (8-12) In touch, steadied after 3f, headway 4f out, led inside final furlong, soon headed, stayed on, 2nd of 13, 3/4l behind Bold Adventure (9-8) at Wolverhampton 2m hcp 0-65 (6) pol in Apr.
Corker 20-1 (8-2) Pulled hard, led after 2f, ridden and headed over 4f out, weakened over 2f out, 7th of 8, 21l behind Bulwark (9-4) at Newmarket 1m 6f 3yo hcp (4) gf in Sep '05.
