A final day of spectacular of jumps from Lingfield is headlined by the £165,000 Fleur De Lys Steeple Chase and Lightning Novices Chase.
Sunday 21 January 2024 10:03, UK
The Lingfield Winter Million Festival hosts an excellent final day with jumping stars on show and valuable cards across the weekend.
The final day of the Winter Million Festival is headlined by the £165,000 Fleur De Lys Steeple Chase and the £75,000 Lightning Novices Chase, which was moved from the abandoned Friday.
The final day has the most competitive racing on offer including the opening £40,000 bumper (12.05), although one of the quality races on the card will at most have nine runners.
Jumping icons such as My Mate Mozzie and JPR One feature in the Lightning Novices' Chase at 1:15, while Grade 2 winner Master Chewy also heads off this incredibly competitive race.
Protektorat attempts to get back to his best in the highlight Fleur De Lys Steeple, ran over two miles and six furlongs. He faces the Irish raider Limerick Lace for trainer Gavin Cromwell as well as the top-rated L'Homme Presse who has something to prove after unseating his rider in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day.
The penultimate race of the festival, the Surrey National has 23 entries, the hat-trick-seeking Hold That Taught is an eye-catcher after winning at Bangor and Ascot. Fern Hill will be looking to progress following a recent wind surgery, both entered at the five-day stage.
The 2022 opener of the festival we saw the iconic Love Envoi add to her winning tally in the Winter Million Mares' Novice Hurdle. She ran in her usual prominent style, and it wasn't long before she was leading, however, it was rather an unchallenged run.
As Nurse Susan was ridden to challenge two out but it wasn't enough to truly compete with Love Envoi as she kept on strongly to make this race her fourth win in a row. She has since gone on to win the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.
For the same year's 2022 Fleur De Lys Chase had a three-way battle towards the line with Two For Gold getting the best of Dashel Drasher. Kim Bailey's star had less of a straight-forward race and initially jumped awkwardly.
The grey Bristol De Mai and Dashel Drasher were both chasing the leaders. It wasn't until three out the race started to heat up as the Two For Gold led and had to be ridden hard as Dashel Drasher and Bristol De Mai were closing in.
In the final stages, Two For Gold and Bristol De Mai battled back and forth for the lead. With Two For Gold heading the Passing Glance gelding in the final strides.
Last year the Winter Oaks Fillies Handicap saw Simon and Ed Crisford have the very nice Al Agaila be victorious. She was in touch with the leaders throughout and was going very easily two furlongs out.
However, she needed to be reminded of her job by James Doyle and wandered slightly and just did enough to hold out the lead to Morgan Fairy. This Lope De Vega daughter has since gone on to win a Listed race in France and placed in the Fleur De Lys Fillies Stakes Listed race.
Watch every race from the final day of Lingfield's Winter Million Festival all live on Sky Sports Racing.
