14:05 Lingfield

Saturday 25 February 2017

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:00

Betway Hever Sprint Stakes (Listed)

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 56.77s

(6)

Lancelot Du Lac²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: R Winston| T: D K Ivory| OR: 108

4/1

AW record stands at 7-13 including a narrow success over C&D in similar grade last time. Hat-trick cannot be ruled out in his current mood.

Form: -11124

(7)

Boom The Groom⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: A W Carroll| OR: 107

8/1

Sixth in this last year and comes here with a similar preparation. Has a neck to find with Lancelot du Lac on running here three weeks ago but gets a 3lb pull.

Form: 66-3648

(3)

Pretend²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: A Kirby| T: C Appleby| OR: 109

5/4

AW record of 7-12 including this race two years ago and the AW Sprint Championship the same year. Looked unlucky in running here last time when getting a bump early in the race and racing keenly as a result; eventually finishing behind Lancelot Du Lac. Change of rider here can be viewed as a positive; he is 3-4 on him and has a record of 69-228 for the stable.

Form: 110/275-

(4)

Ride Like The Wind¹⁶⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: J P Spencer| T: K A Ryan| OR: 105

7/1

Group Three winner in France making his debut for new yard. Form looks short of the level needed to take this and best form has been shown over further. Pedigree suggests soft ground would be preferred.

Form: 3771-89

(2)

Royal Birth^t⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Aaron Jones| T: S C Williams| OR: 99

8/1

Speedy sort who is finding life tough in handicaps at present. Has an excellent AW record with four wins and six placings from 12 starts. This requires a career best and others to run below par.

Form: 02-7319

(9)

Sign of The Kodiac⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: L Morris| T: J G Given| OR: 95

66/1

Down the field on his last two starts including in first time cheekpieces on Monday. Has it all to do now stepping up in grade.

Form: 309617

(1)

Verne Castle^h⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: David Probert| T: A M Balding| OR: 90

12/1

Has developed into a progressive handicapper who is 5-8 on the AW. Won with plenty in hand last week but still asking a lot to progress from a Class 4 handicap to this level.

Form: 511360

(5)

Buying Trouble¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: S Donohoe| T: P D Evans| OR: 99

25/1

Improved last season from a fair handicapper into a filly who notched up four placed efforts in Listed company. Her third to Marsha in Ayr's Land O'Burns reads particularly well and she showed that to be no fluke subsequently. Entitled to improve for her first run in five months and race could develop to suit her fast finishing style.

Form: 22-6768

Non-Runners

(8)

Bowson Fred¹⁹

Weight: 9-0| Age: 5

T: M & D Easterby J: Nathan Evans

Forecasts

Pretend (5/4), Lancelot Du Lac (4/1), Ride Like The Wind (7/1), Royal Birth (8/1), Boom The Groom (8/1), Verne Castle (12/1), Buying Trouble (25/1), Bowson Fred (25/1), Sign of The Kodiac (66/1)

PRETEND was unlucky here last time and is taken to make amends. He sets the clear form standard and should account for the in form Lancelot du Lac who got the run of the race that day. The selection has an outstanding record here and goes particularly well for Adam Kirby. Lancelot du Lac cannot be dismissed given his excellent AW record and he is sure to be thereabouts again. There have been plenty of big priced winners of this in the past so it would hardly be a surprise should Buying Trouble pick up a deserved first success at this level. She has some solid sprint form and deserves to pick up a prize such as this. Her third to the Prix de l'Abbaye winner Marsha at Ayr last season reads particularly well even allowing for that filly's subsequent improvement. If Bowson Fred sets a good pace he could set the race up nicely for her. 1. Pretend 2. Buying Trouble 3. Lancelot Du Lac