Racecards
16:15 Lingfield Park
Churchill Insurance Handicap Div 2 (Class 6)
- 13 Runners
- Distance: 1m 2f
- Going: Standard
- Surface: Polytrack
- Form 212128-
- Age 5
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 60
- Trainer B R Millman
- Jockey R Havlin
dwelt, soon in touch, ridden, outpaced over 2f out, driven, ran on inside final furlong
Silvo (NZ)
564- Form 3480/
- Age 7
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 60
- Trainer M F Harris
- Jockey S J Drowne
held up towards rear, ridden, some headway over 3f out, weakened over 1f out
Bavarica
23- Form 00-2529
- Age 4
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 59
- Trainer Miss J Feilden
- Jockey S O'Hara
held up in mid-division, headway on inside from over 2f out, ridden to lead inside final furlong, ran on
- Form 42-1366
- Age 9
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 58
- Trainer Ernst Oertel
- Jockey D Holland
held up mid-division, lost place over 3f out, plenty to do 1f out, ran on strongly gaining near finish
- Form 98-6842
- Age 7
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 57
- Trainer A M Hales
- Jockey Dane O'Neill
in touch, ridden 2f out, every chance inside final furlong, stayed on
- Form 053-000
- Age 8
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 57
- Trainer M S Saunders
- Jockey F Norton
led, headed 7f out, remained prominent, gradually lost place from 3f out, eased 1f out
- Form 72-0104
- Age 4
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 56
- Trainer Mrs L J Mongan
- Jockey I Mongan
tracked leaders, led 7f out, ridden over 2f out, headed and no extra inside final furlong
- Form 422620-
- Age 5
- Weight 8-12
- Official Rating 54
- Trainer D Burchell
- Jockey C Catlin
held up in rear, not clear run entering final 2f, never dangerous
Joe Jo Star
18- Form 10-0213
- Age 4
- Weight 8-10
- Official Rating 52
- Trainer B P J Baugh
- Jockey R Fitzpatrick
pulled hard, tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, weakened final furlong
Aberdeen Park
113- Form 556056-
- Age 4
- Weight 8-10
- Official Rating 52
- Trainer Mrs H Sweeting
- Jockey R Kingscote
raced wide, close up 8f
Alqaayid
18- Form 0-60524
- Age 5
- Weight 8-7
- Official Rating 49
- Trainer P W Hiatt
- Jockey R Kennemore
with leaders, ridden, every chance from 2f out, weakened final furlong
- Form 07467-0
- Age 7
- Weight 8-5
- Official Rating 47
- Trainer Lucinda Featherstone
- Jockey M Dwyer
held up in rear, pushed along over 4f out, never dangerous
In depth
Verdict
Nina Fontenail, Barton Sands, Missie Baileys and Joe Jo Star are all shortlisted but Nina Fontenail is our pick. A model of consistency last summer when winning big handicaps at Folkestone and Chepstow, the selection goes well fresh and looks set to run a very big race under topweight. The veteran Barton Sands is slowly slipping down the weights and, as a course and distance winner with Darryll Holland booked to ride, has to be respected. Missie Baileys is another course and distance winner with a chance, as is the Ian Williams-trained Smoothie. Finally, Joe Jo Star has some good recent form but his wins have come in banded company and this represents a step up in class. This returns us to the progressive Nina Fontenail, who is our pick to defy topweight in this contest.
Formwatch
Nina Fontenail (FR) 5-1 (9-6) Chased leader, ridden over 2f out, weakened 1f out, 8th of 14, 7l behind In Deep (9-0) at Salisbury 1m 6f hcp (5) gs in Aug.
Barton Sands (IRE) 8-1 (8-12) Held up in rear, headway over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong, 6th of 14, 2 1/2l behind Eloquent Knight (9-4) at Lingfield 1m 2f hcp 0-65 (6) pol in Feb.
Cherished Number 11-4 (8-5) Reared start, headway over 1f out, chased winner final furlong, kept on, 2nd of 8, 1 1/2l behind Shannon Arms (8-6) at W'hampton 1m 1f clm (6) pol in Feb.
Primeshade Promise 8-1 (9-1) Always in rear, 15th of 18, 17l behind Elidore (9-8) at Chepstow 1m hcp (6) gf in Aug.
Abbeygate 7-1 (8-11) Held up, headway on outside 2f out, stayed on one pace inside final furlong, 4th of 10, 4 1/2l behind Kumakawa (8-1) at Southwell 1m app hcp (6) fbs in Feb.
Joe Jo Star 8-1 (8-9) In touch, ridden 3f out, every chance over 1f out, ran on, 3rd of 12, nk behind Gallego (8-6) at W'hampton 1m 1f hcp 45-70 (6) pol.
Aberdeen Park 12-1 (8-10) Chased leaders, effort over 2f out, soon faded, 6th of 14, 4l behind Abbeygate (8-11) at Southwell 1m hcp 0-60 (6) fbs in Nov.
Alqaayid 8-1 (8-8) In touch, lost place place over 5f out, headway over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, not quicken close home, 4th of 12, 1 1/2l behind Gallego (8-6) at W'hampton 1m 1f hcp 45-70 (6) pol.