Lingfield 19/03

[RussP]

4.10 Lingfield My E/W selection for this race is HIGH N DRY at around the 8/1 mark. Joint top weight in this Class 6 race, this horse has fallen dramatically in the weights in the face of some difficult tasks. Lto, off todays mark, the horse was unlucky having being hampered early on, and from a poor draw. Looking at recent efforts off higher marks, it has been disadvantaged several time because of the draw and sometime has been ridden wrong as this horse likes to be held up. Good draw today so can get a decent early position and this step up in trip likely to be in its favour having run well on its last try over this trip. Cracking E/W bet with favoured jockey on top.

[billy the punter]

Re: Lingfield 19/03 Talking of the 4.10 I thought Waqaarr would make a mockery of his lowly mark after his two comeback runs this year over an inadequate 6f. His three maiden runs last year all read fairly well. First time up he opened short enough at 3/1 and went off 2nd fav, he finished 8th of 11 with two 70 horses out the frame. Finished 3rd on his 2nd start when trying to lead all the way here, the first and second ended the season rated 72 and 83. Finished 6l seventh behind Shmookh at Warwick on his final start last year in what turned out to be a decent maiden. The fist six home that day finished the season on the following marks, 99,85,89,73,55,70 after winning ten races between them. So it didn't take a genius to work out that Waqaarr had been given every chance to find a race when given a mark of 58 after his two runs this season - running on over 6f to finish 4th in a h'cap and 2nd in a maiden (4/9). Therefore I was a little disappointed when he only finished 3rd at Kempton on his next start, over a seemingly preferable mile last month. He did pull a bit that night though and I'm giving him another chance as he'll surely settle better with Jamie on board. Although clearly a little one paced he surely has to find a race off this mark, if not today, then very soon. A final note, Lady Herries is a respectable 28% with 4yo and overs at Lingfield, while only 6% with 2 and 3yos.