Lingfield Saturday review: Al Agaila edges thriller
By Adam Morgan
17:51 · SAT January 21, 2023
Al Agaila brought up a hat-trick when shading a thrilling finish to the talkSPORT Winter Oaks Fillies’ Handicap at Lingfield.
The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained filly made a successful step up to 10 furlongs in the Winter Oaks Trial in December and was sent off the 10/11 favourite to land the feature on the Saturday of the track’s Winter Million weekend.
Settled in fourth by James Doyle, the Classic-winning rider was in no rush to make any significant move in the early stages and then began to squeeze his mount forward as the eight-strong field approached the home turn.
Angled wide, the daughter of Lope De Vega soon breezed into a position to strike, but as the runners straightened for the closing stages, Al Agaila was joined by the William Haggas-trained Morgan Fairy and Harry Eustace’s Makinmedoit – with the three fillies soon locked in a titanic battle to the line.
The trio matched strides all the way up the Lingfield home straight, but it was Doyle who conjured up extra from his mount in the shadow of the post to land the £51,540 first prize.
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“We are really delighted with her,” said Simon Crisford. “It was a slowly-run race and she would have benefitted from a stronger pace.
“James Doyle always thought he was going to win and the filly was very tough and courageous. She is improving the whole time – she had to defy an 11lb rise in the weights today and has acquitted herself with great credit.”
The €240,000 buy has now earnt a crack at the Betuk Winter Derby over the same track and trip on February 25 – where opposition could include King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Pyledriver.
“She’s a possibility for the Winter Derby back at Lingfield and we’ll just have to see where the filly takes us,” continued Crisford.
“You never know with these fillies where they will take you when they start improving. Right now she’s doing exceptionally well and improving. She has a good attitude and is going the right way. It was a very strong effort and she ran with great credit.
“The Winter Derby, if she goes there, will be a completely different proposition – she’ll be running against Pyledriver and Lord North. Let’s see how she copes in a race like that before we start making any summer plans or anything like that.”
Double for TJ Kent
It was a red letter day for Newmarket handler TJ Kent, who along with jockey Tom Marquand registered a double on the card.
A former assistant to Roger Varian and in his fourth year with a trainer’s licence, he successfully saddled the consistent Obsidian Knight (11/2) to land the Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap, before Super Den (11/2) struck in the concluding Spreadex Sports £300 Spread Betting Cashback Handicap.
Although a first-ever double for Kent, it was just a regular day at the office for Marquand, who the Red House Stables trainer was keen to praise after their second success of the day.
He said: “It’s been a fantastic day and I’m delighted for all connections, but I have to say Tom gave Super Den an absolutely perfect ride.
“That’s twice today he’s done it for me – William Haggas is a great trainer but he’s also a great judge of a jockey. We’re very fortunate in this country that we have so many top-class jockeys and Tom is one of those.”
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It was a case of a plan coming together in the finale when Super Den reversed the form of his previous outing, avenging a one-length track-and-trip defeat at the hands of 9/4 favourite Starshiba.
“We did actually target these two races,” added Kent. “We ran Super Den here last time to see how he handled the track and that’s why we came back.”
“It’s the first double we’ve had and if you look at our numbers and what we’re doing, I couldn’t be happier. I’ve got a great little team at home and hopefully a day like this brings us a couple of orders.”
Ryan Moore, riding in the UK for the first time in 2023, looked to have made a race-winning move aboard George Boughey’s 11/4 favourite Paris Light only to be reeled in by Marquand and Obsidian Knight in the 10-furlong handicap.
Kent believes there is more to come from the five-year-old, who has been somewhat unlucky since scoring here in October and was securing his third victory at the track.
“Things just haven’t worked out for him in his last few runs,” continued Kent. “Jamie Spencer gave him a cracking ride when he was beaten not far at Wolverhampton and he was beaten here last time by an improver.
“He’s been very consistent – he’s very honest and genuine.
“That’s three times he’s won round Lingfield now. We were more than hopeful he would be in the shake up and we’ll probably keep him going on the all-Weather and see if we can pick up some prize-money from the All-Weather Championships.
“We’ll see how he comes out of it and if we’re not happy, we could always give him a little break and look at some options on the turf as we don’t think he’s just an all-weather horse.”
Although out of luck in his first three rides of the day for Boughey, Moore made no mistake in his final taste of the action by pushing out the 15/8 favourite All The King’s Men for a commanding two-and-a-half-length victory in the Spreadex Sports Get £40 In Bonuses Handicap.
A €675,000 yearling, the winner was twice victorious in 10 starts for Fabrice Chappet in France and was scoring off a mark of 79 on his stable bow for the Saffron House Stables handler.
It was Luke Morris who denied the the Moore/Boughey combination in the opening BetUK’s Acca Club £5 Free Bet Handicap when John Ryan’s 28/1 shot First Emperor saw out the two-mile distance best to see off 11-8 market leader Ehteyat.
Morris was himself foiled late when Molly Gunn produced Beau Geste (9/1) to perfection to seal the Spreadex Sports First Goalscorer Insurance Classified Stakes in the shadow of the post, while Hayley Turner got on the scoresheet aboard David Simcock’s Harry Brown (7/1) in the talkSPORT Powered By Fans Handicap.
There was also an all-northern finish to the BetUK Over 40,000 Live Streamed Races Handicap when man of the moment Billy Loughnane helped Ruth Carr’s Embour (16/1) edge out the Karl Burke-trained Silky Wilkie.
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