Flat Racing 3rd April

[chris34]

3.30 Lingfield There is only one out and out front runner in this field and few that are likely to track but plenty of hold up sorts which might be inconvenienced by the way this race is run. Quality Art had looked to be coming to hand on recent efforts until last time out in first time blinkers when racing far too keen and never getting involved, hood dispensed with but blinkers remain a worry needs to settle and bounce back. Hold up sort. Most of Dark Lanes form has come in seller and claiming grade and this return to handicap looks tougher although booking of Hughes is eyecatching. Hold up or can track leaders. Chevise is usually prominent and usually races over further but is 3 from over 5 (2 wins in claimers and 1 in a 3 runner handicap so may have been cleverly campaigned) so would be no surprise to see him go on over this trip and interesting dropped back to this trip so an obvious pace angle but does need to step up on what he has shown recently patchy profile lately. Speedyfix won over CD on penultimate start before running another good race off revised mark, up yet another 3lb meaning he is 6lb above last winning mark which is one concern but also needs them to go hard upfront which seems unlikely here. Pharoh Jake has been a revelation this winter previously looking a seriously limited maiden but has won 3 low grade handicaps, has shaped as if handicapper in charge recently although is consistent over 6f and is interesting dropped back to 5f but does need to find more off a 3lb higher mark than last winning one. Yourlikemefrank has shown nothing in 2 runs this year but is tumbling in the weights now 13lb below last winning mark also worth noting most form has been around Lingfield so a return to here a positive but needs to show more before becoming of interest. Sherjawy has been largely consistent without winning but has it all to do running 3lb out of the handicap. Beauty Pageant might be worth taking a risk on and I am not the only one to think that with her price contracting rapidly in a weak early market. Its well documented mares and fillies struggle against colts and geldings in the dark months but with the days stretching out they come alive a lot more and she came good in summer in past. She is an out and out front runner and could get a soft lead here and wasn’t beaten as far as had previously been the case last time out a further 3lb drop in handicap makes things even easier and looks dangerously well handicapped having gone close off a mark of 75 last November over CD now running off 63 and tongue tie and interesting addition with Kirby booked (yard also run Dark Lane who is ridden by Hughes but Kirby has ridden a lot for this yard this winter). Wide draw perhaps not ideal but small field possibly overcome that with plenty of early speed. 2pt win Beauty Pageant 4/1 bet365 3.50 Southwell The flying 5f at Southwell and several regulars. First time headgear is tried on 2 of these today. Mazovian has a very patchy profile and hard to back despite the addition of headgear for first time. Monnoyer also tries blinkers for first time has previously shown nothing in visor twice. He has pretty much failed to beat a rival since 2yr old days and has a huge amount to prove on return from a lengthy break and first try on surface. Steel City Boy has returned to somewhere near his best but 6lb out of the handicap he faces an impossible task at this level. Lauras Bairn has won here twice but showed little on return to this surface last time out to enthuse about and hard to envisage a huge improvement today, still 3lb above last winning mark and 10lb above last CD winning mark. Love You Louis won a weak claimer on return to action in January but looked held off this mark back in handicap company last time out on polytrack dropped a 1lb but loss of apprentice claim leaves him looking vulnerable, although not won here has run well but looks high enough in the weights. M J Woodward performance at weekend makes him look as though the handicapper is winning the battle for now and also had a lot of racing recently and needs another career best effort. Dream Of Rubies won first time up last year, patchy form in handful of races rest of the season, something to prove and yet to encounter surface. Clubland has won his last 2 starts including when beating M J Woodward here last time out, fairly comfortable and a 5lb rise is fair and may progress further yet but likely to receive plenty of competition for the lead here. If Clubland fails to progress again Shawkantango may be the one to pick the pieces up when theleaders start to fall back. Appears to have tidied his starting stalls issue up recently which often cost him but a good start under this jockey on penultimate start made him score with great authority and ease, not so good back at Wolves next time out so needs to bounce back from that but likely to on this surface and looked better than ever last time here. 1pt win Shawkantango 9/2 vc 7.30 Kempton 2 honest front runners look to set a good clip in this race, they are Dancheur and Silverware (although was held up last time out) Pearl Nation is lightly raced with only 6 starts and made a satisfactory return to action last time out, did race a little keen so will need to settle better, but this mark still demands a lot at the moment but open to more. Living Leader is another unexposed sort who won 2 on the trot in Autumn including a handicap when last seen, ran an ok race last month and perhaps a tad unlucky but will need to improve to feature off a 8lb higher mark than last winning mark and also wide draw not ideal. Flexible Flyer is the final unexposed sort who won a maiden fresh last year before disappointing in handicap next time out when last seen clearly has a lot to prove after nearly a year off and mark not budged a 1lb looks harsh. Street Power is generally a likeable sort who relies on an extremely strong gallop to be seen to best effect, looked to need run first time up this year and mark currently looks high enough despite his impressive record around here. Silverware disappointed last time out not seen for over a month since then and this requires a career best. Russian Ice looked desperately unlucky on penultimate start but seemed to disappoint last time out over a mile, drop in trip may help but hard to find any other excuses but another requiring a career best. Perfect Mission looks extremely flattered by his mark and remains one to tread carefully with despite being in good hands. Twenty One Choice must have a solid chance in this handicap, he isn’t exposed yet having only raced 7 times he appeared to improve for the switch to handicaps last spring with winning 2 on the AW and 1 on turf, last seen winning a decent handicap for the grade when last seen in comfortable style a 8lb rise looks within reach if continuing upward curve this season. Clearly goes well fresh and well drawn to sit prominently. 2pt win Twenty One Choice 9/2 bet365