Racecards
12:40 Lingfield Park
Bet Direct Daily Best Bets Claiming Stakes (Class F4) (Class 4)
- 12 Runners
- Distance: 1m 2f
- Going: Standard
- Surface: AllWeather
- Form 001000-
- Age 5
- Weight 9-9
- Official Rating 64
took keen hold, tracked leaders, hard ridden 2f out, stayed on same pace final furlong
- Form 432030-
- Age 10
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 61
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey J Quinn
in touch, challenged on bit 2f out, led approaching final furlong, soon clear
- Form 610222-
- Age 9
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 65
- Trainer E R Oertel
- Jockey E Ahern
tracked leader, going well 3f out, ridden and found nil over 1f out, weakened final furlong
- Form 00/4000-
- Age 4
- Weight 8-13
- Official Rating 68
- Trainer M H Tompkins
- Jockey N Callan
prominent, driven to chase leader 2f out, weakened inside final furlong
- Form 005-
- Age 4
- Weight 8-9
- Official Rating 45
- Trainer A P Jones
- Jockey L P Keniry
in touch, ridden 4f out, weakened rapidly over 2f out
- Form 600150-
- Age 4
- Weight 8-9
- Official Rating 61
- Trainer Miss D Mountain
- Jockey Dean Williams
held up in mid-division, hung badly right from 4f out, virtually pulled up final 3f
- Form 246310-
- Age 4
- Weight 8-8
- Official Rating 52
- Trainer Jean-Rene Auvray
- Jockey S Whitworth
led, pushed along 2f out, headed approaching final furlong, soon no chance with winner, lost 2nd near finish
- Form 051003-
- Age 4
- Weight 8-4
- Official Rating 40
- Trainer Mrs L C Jewell
- Jockey C Catlin
held up in rear, no chance final 2f
- Form 00/0430-
- Age 7
- Weight 8-2
- Official Rating 35
raced wide in mid-division, headway to chase leaders 3f out, weakened and behind final 2f
- Form 0000-00
- Age 6
- Weight 8-0
- Official Rating 46
- Trainer D L Williams
- Jockey N Chalmers
held up in rear, headway 2f out, kept on final furlong, never nearer
- Form 00300-0
- Age 5
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 67
- Trainer Miss Gay Kelleway
- Jockey Richard Hughes
In depth
Verdict
In the claimer, we will side with Blue Mariner ahead of, principally, J R Stevenson and Bank On Him. The selection gets what is a slightly tentative vote mainly because he is lightly-raced and could well improve at this trip, one he has yet to try on the all-weather but stayed it on Turf. In fact, a repeat of the level of form he has shown on on Turf would give him a fair chance. J R Stevenson is now with yet another stable and has form that is more than good enough to play a leading part here, although he seems a reluctant winner at times. Bank On Him has won or been placed in 34 of his 54 all-weather starts and is another course and distance scorer in the line-up. He lost his chance at the start last time but hold claims on the best of his recent form. Fiveoclock Express is also trying this trip for the first time, but has a little to prove on recent form. Soviet Sceptre is also lightly raced and might have better to come, but he will need to show more than he did at Wolverhampton last time to feature. Finally, Delightfully scored over 12 furlongs in a seller two runs ago but was well beaten at Wolverhampton last time. The others need to find improvement if official ratings are to be believed which, in turn, returns us to Blue Mariner, who gets the vote in the claimer.