Surfing The Sand: Three horses to follow at Lingfield on Saturday from Simon Mapletoft
Foxes Tales and Mischief Magic can make their marks in Listed company on Saturday, writes Simon Mapletoft, while Regheeb can notch a handicap victory; watch all the action from Lingfield, Uttoxeter and Wolverhampton live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday
Friday 17 November 2023 11:57, UK
Simon Mapletoft previews one of the biggest days of the season at Lingfield on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Racing, and has three horses to follow....
FOXES TALES has the credentials to win a strong renewal of the BetUK Churchill Stakes (2.36), one of two Listed races on the nine-race Lingfield card.
Andrew Balding's five-year-old makes his first all-weather start since winning the Listed Magnolia Stakes at Kempton in April for Oisin Murphy, who is back on board in the 1m 2f contest.
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That success followed a staying-on third in the Group Three Winter Derby, when he closed down the re-opposing runner-up Tyrrhenian Sea despite not handling the home turn efficiently from a wide draw.
He railed much more effectively going right-handed around Kempton and can use that experience to optimum effect from a better starting position at the chief expense of Regal Reality and Blue Trail, even with a Listed penalty.
The latter, a dual 1m all-weather winner as a three-year-old, dominated a 1m 2f handicap on turf at Meydan last winter but has not been seen in public since burning himself out in the Earl Of Sefton in the spring.
He will need to settle for James Doyle to get the better of Foxes Tales and top-rated Regal Reality, a five-time Group Three winner on turf whose last run on the all-weather was a close second in the Listed Quebec Stakes over course and distance in December 2021. He, too, shoulders a penalty.
Adding depth to the race is 2021 Winter Derby winner Forest Of Dean, who finished behind Foxes Tales in that race last season and has 9lb to find with my selection, while Group Two winner Sir Busker toiled in testing ground at Newmarket last month and has plenty to prove himself on this step up in trip.
Back in the summer, Charlie Appleby expected MISCHIEF MAGIC to build on his Grade One Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf success in top-level sprints, but the son of Exceed And Excel failed to live up to expectations.
However, he looked ready to get his career back on an upward trajectory when landing a six-furlong conditions race at Kempton last month and is the one they all have to beat in the Listed BetUK Golden Rose Stakes (3.11).
Top-rated off a mark of 111, Godolphin's three-year-old is unbeaten in two starts on Polytrack, having also won the Group Three Sirenia Stakes at Kempton at two, and has clearly benefited from both a gelding operation and a summer break.
Veteran Summerghand, the 2021 Sprint Champion, bids for back-to-back wins in this race but is 8lb worse off with Mischief Magic than he would be in a handicap, while stablemate Aberama Gold - winner of this year's Stewards' Cup - has place claims given a strong pace.
He looks held by Richard Hannon's Tacarib Bay, though, who beat him in the Listed Wentworth Stakes over six furlongs at Newcastle last week and remains unexposed as an all-weather sprinter. Whether he can prove as effective on this sharper track is open to question.
Returning to the scene of his impressive novice success, Archie Watson's REGHEEB can take the Class 3 Stay In Control At BetUK Handicap (2.01).
Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's lightly-raced son of New Approach defied a penalty in dominant style over course and distance in September and had excuses back on turf last time. He was travelling sweetly until getting bogged down in heavy ground on his handicap debut over 1m 2f but is better than the bare form suggests.
A mark of 93 does not look prohibitive in this field and I prefer him to Roger Varian's Newcastle winner Greatgadian, who steps back up in class off a 5lb higher mark.
Watch all the action from Lingfield, Uttoxeter and Wolverhampton live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday.
