All Weather Championships Finals Day Lingfield review

A review of the rest of the action on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Lingfield.

Graham Gibbons produced Volunteer Point with a well-timed challenge to claim victory in the 32Red All-Weather Fillies' And Mares' Championships Conditions Stakes, the first race on the card.

Mick Channon's four-year-old was a 4/1 shot to complete a hat-trick following previous wins at Chelmsford and Lingfield already this year and was positioned close to the speed from the outset.

The pacesetting Primrose Valley held a narrow advantage rounding the home turn, but Volunteer Point found a nice gap on the rail and was good enough to take it, quickening up smartly to score by two and a quarter lengths with plenty to spare.

William Haggas' South African import Cold As Ice was the 4/6 favourite to get odds-on backers off to a Good Friday flyer, but she weakened quickly, looking as if all might not be too well, after challenging for the lead at the top of the straight and finished out of the places.

Bint Dandy and Alfajer got rolling late to finish second and third respectively.

Gibbons told Channel 4 Racing: "She makes it easy for you. She's good from the gate and she travels nicely.

"Coming down the hill I thought I had them covered and Luke (Morris on Primrose Valley) was quite good to me and I got through

"Since they changed the surface it's been more of a level playing field. It doesn't matter where you go as long as you're on the best horse."

Channon said: "All the credit to the lads at West Ilsley who've been slogging it out all through the winter and my son who's been going all over the country. It's great for them.

"She's a good filly who's improved all winter. I was thinking she was going to need a holiday at some point, but we've just kept her ticking over

"She just needed the break on the rail which she got.

"She's knocked on the door for black type and that would make her a bit more valuable. She's a very good dirt filly anyway.

"There's a race here in a month's time (the Chartwell Stakes). We'll look at something like that over seven furlongs or a mile. I think seven is her trip. We'll just see what's about.

"She's kept her winter coat and while she's got a coat like that we'll carry on."

Chris Dwyer, trainer of runner-up Bint Dandy, said: "That was a bonus and we are delighted with that.

"They were first and second a few weeks ago but there was a bit more between them this time, but it was still a good run.

"She is a good, tough filly that always gives her best and we will have to try get a bit of black type now."

Cold As Ice was later reported to be on her way back to Newmarket after being assessed at the racecourse stables.

Clerk of the course Ed Arkell said: "The horse pulled up lame and walked onto the horse ambulance. She was assessed in the stables and is in the horse box on the way home."

Moonrise Landing quickened up smartly to clinch top honours in the 32Red All-Weather Marathon Championships Conditions Stakes.

Ralph Beckett's fast-improving mare was the 6/5 favourite to stretch her unbeaten record on artificial surfaces to four and Jim Crowley rode a patient race.

Anglophile was rushed up to take the lead before the home turn, with Ballynanty swiftly going in hot pursuit.

Just as Anglophile began to win that argument, Moonrise Landing was finding top gear and reeled them both in to secure a half-length success.

Ballynanty was the same distance away in third, while First Mohican could be counted a little unlucky in fourth, having encountered trouble in running at the top of the straight, albeit the winner made up a lot of ground in the straight and looked clear best.

Crowley said: "I had some traffic problems going down the hill.

"She likes to be held up that's why she runs her best races that way.

"Sometimes round here it isn't ideal and although I was locked up, I was filling her up and she had a nice turn of foot.

"The first two have gone up the inside a bit but I was always comfortable we were within striking distance.

"It probably looked worse on the telly than it really was."

Beckett said: "In a way we got a way with it because I don't think the track really suits her. She's probably better on a flat and more galloping track. She took a long time to pull up as well.

"There's a bit to come and we look forward to getting her on the turf now. We'll put her in all the long-distance races and see how we go.

"We might go for the Henry II or the Sagaro, or something like that

"What she did there should make her competitive during the summer.

"We were going nowhere with her most of last year. She had most of her three-year-old career off with a fracture after she ran in the Lingfield Oaks Trial.

"She just suddenly blossomed last autumn. I wasn't keen on running her at Newmarket but Peter (Savill, owner) made me run her and he was right.

"She got a bit of confidence and away we went."

Savill said: "She needed over a year off and it took her a long timer to get her confidence back.

"The secret is to drop her out and get her relaxed. She has a terrific turn of foot which you don't often see in a stayer.

"There was a moment of concern if we would get a run, but we felt if we got her relaxed and got a run we'd be disappointed if she got beaten.

"We'll send her back on turf. There's a good opportunity to bring her back for the Cup races."

Graham Gibbons claimed the most valuable double of his career which was completed by a narrow success aboard Wolowitz (4-1) in the Unibet 3 Year Old Sprint All-Weather Championship Conditions Stakes.

After having steered Volunteer Point (4-1) to glory in the opening 32Red All-Weather Fillies' And Mares' Championships Conditions Stakes for trainer Mick Channon, the 30-year-old rider was seen at his best when getting the David Barron-trained gelding up by a neck in the five-furlong prize.

Gibbons said: "This is the most valuable double I've had.

"I had some good days last year, winning the Gimcrack and a couple of sales races. It feels brilliant and you couldn't make it up.

Of Wolowitz, he added: "I didn't think I was going to get there for a moment but he has run the race of his life.

"He is very good and has got lots of speed and he is not finished yet.

"There is a big pot for him on the turf."

The concluding 32Red All-Weather 3 Year Old Mile Championships Conditions Stakes fell the way of Sea Of Flames.

David Elsworth's 10-1 chance charged gamely towards the line to readily subdue long-time leader Race Day by a length under Silvestre de Sousa.