Flat Racing Saturday 21st

[cpo]

3.35 Lingfield Night Lily 2pts EW @ 8/1 Ladbrokes This looks a cracking little handicap where most of the field can be given a chance. The only one I would confidently rule out is the complete outsider Zacynthus. Lockantanks is a horse I have backed on his last 2 wins and it pains me to go against him here but I prefer Night Lily in this. Night Lily is another horse I have backed on a couple of her recent starts. I put her up as my BBOTD when she was beaten a nose at Dundalk at listed level over a mile. She has continued in good form since that run getting beat a neck over CD by the progressive Loyalty and then getting beat into 3rd at listed level over in France. In that race at Lingfield over CD she did actually just get the better of Clockmaker who finished 3rd. I can see this race panning out in a similar way to that one as Clockmaker will surely try and make all. It will be interesting to see the tactics on Clockmaker as I am sure he would have a better chance of winning this if he stacked the field up and then tried to kick turning for home. The field is full of hold up types and it could pay to race up with the pace. This is why I think Night Lily could go well in this, as she is versatile as to how she is ridden. She is drawn in 8 which isn’t ideal but she does have the talented Raul Da Silva on board who claims 5lbs. This will be her first run in a handicap on the all weather since running in the London Mile final at Kemtpon where she finished a respectable 7th off a mark of 93. She gets in this race of 92 but with the jockey claiming 5lbs she can race off 87 which puts her in with a big chance. This is very competitive though and nearly every runner is a danger. I expect Clockmaker to lead but I can’t see him lasting out in front. It is notoriously difficult to make all at Lingfield and I reckon he will be a sitting duck in the final furlong. Lockantanks has been in great form of late and was beaten by Clockmaker a few runs ago but he seems to be getting better with every run. This will show us how far he actually has come. I think he may just come up short. Mull of Killough is a classy handicapper on the turf over a mile and he is interesting on his first start for Jane Chapple-Hyam but I would just want to see him run first before getting involved. Mia’s Boy is a classy horse and should run well and Greensward is very interesting for Mike Murphy. He never got a run last time out and there has been plenty of money for him early doors. I am quite happy to put up Night Lilly in what looks a very good handicap. I don’t expect there to be much between the entire field at the finish but I am hoping the talented Raul Da Silva can get Night Lily’s head in front on the line.

[Lars]

PICANSORT (14:25) can bounce back after a poor run last time, which can probably be excused by the fact he was a big drifter in the market (opened up in the morning around the 15/8 mark, went off 4/1) and was slowly away, along with the fact he wasn’t really given a hard ride. If getting away on terms today, he has a good chance to build on his penultimate effort, where a replication of that performance would probably be enough to win this. Twice a winner on the all-weather, once at 6f, he’s not badly handicapped off his current rating of 65. He’s won over 6f off 68 for a start over C&D that win coming around this time last year. After a few substandard efforts during the summer, he bounced back in no uncertain terms on his penultimate start off 1lb lower. Although over 5f, he shaped that 6f was still within reach and he did look a winner in waiting off around this mark, after getting no sort of run and could definitely be regarded as an unlucky loser. He didn’t follow it up two weeks ago around here, but as previously mentioned he was never really at the races and it’s probably best to put a line through that run. Although in a similar sort of race today, his current double figure price is more than worth getting involved with. It’s unlikely he’ll put in such a bad effort and I won’t be surprised to see some market support about him. Well-drawn in stall 5, he’s still handicapped to strike in my view and well worth another chance. These races are competitive enough for the grade and it won’t be an easy task getting in front, but if the handbrake is off today he has every chance on what I think is a very workable mark. Bets 14:25 Lingfield – Picansort; 2pts @ 12/1 Bet365 (bog)