Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on Monday.
Switch to Derham makes Extra Beat of interest
Extra Beat hasn't run since failing to beat a rival at Newcastle in June 2024, but he'd made a successful handicap debut at Haydock prior to that and remains with very few miles on the clock.
Extra Beat may be returning from a long layoff but it will be interesting to see whether he attracts any market support having joined a trainer in Harry Derham who has done so well with recruits to the yard.
Derham has had 16 winners from 38 runners, at a remarkable strike rate of 42%, with horses starting out for the yard in a handicap. Admittedly, they have all been over jumps, but he's clearly a young trainer capable of rejuvenating and readying one at the first attempt, so the unexposed Extra Beat is entitled to plenty of respect in the mile-and-a-half handicap (13:37) at Lingfield.
Honeyball bidding to add to Fontwell tally
Anthony Honeyball has had 40 winners at Fontwell since the start of the 2020/21 season, which is twice as many as he's had at any other course in that timeframe. What's more, those 40 winners have come at an impressive strike rate of 27.8% which compares favourably to his overall strike rate of 17.7% in British jumps races in the same period.
Honeyball's runners at Fontwell, therefore, are entitled to plenty of respect and he has three representatives on Monday courtesy of Ferret Jeeter (13:55), Queen's Theatre (14:25) and Smart Casual (15:25).
Ferret Jeeter is arguably the most interesting of those in the handicap hurdle contested over just shy of two and three-quarter miles. He's making his first start since June - and has had a wind operation since last seen - but he showed his effectiveness when fresh when bolting up on his handicap debut over this course and distance in May on his return from a 524-day layoff.
Ferret Jeeter fell on his next start back at Fontwell a few weeks later, but he quickly got back on track at Ffos Las where he took his record in handicaps when completing to two from two. He still has the Timeform 'small p' to show that he's likely to improve further, and he's the only runner in this race with the 'small p'.
Passing Pleasure retains potential for new yard
Passing Pleasure made no impact in three starts in maiden/ novice company but proved much more competitive on his handicap debut at Ludlow where he was beaten only three-quarters of a length and finished 13 lengths clear of the third.
That proved to be Passing Pleasure's final start of the campaign and final start for Lawney Hill but it provides a solid platform for him to build on for new connections. He's in good hands to fulfil that potential with Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, and the switch in stable has generated Timeform's Trainer Uplift Flag.
Greenall and Guerriero have had ten winners from 66 horses starting out for the yard in a jumps handicap, and backing each of those representatives would have returned a profit of £10.89 to £1 level stakes. Passing Pleasure bids to give the stable another winner in the concluding handicap hurdle at Musselburgh (15:15).
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