16:00 Lingfield

Tuesday 11 April 2017

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:0017:30

Betway Handicap

Off time: 16:01 | Winning time: 1m 10.43s

(7)

Alkhor¹¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: L Dettori| T: R Hannon| OR: 82

7/2

C&D winner in November 2016 (beat Salvatore Fury by a short head, and renews rivalry on 7lb worse terms). That was the second of his career successes, having also won over 5F at Windsor in June 2015. Off since December 2016 (weakened quickly), and with a few career gaps could be a tricky (but talented) horse to get 100%.

Form: 717-133

(6)

Oriental Relation^b¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Jim Crowley| T: J G Given| OR: 81

11/2

Goes well at Wolverhampton, and was in good form at that track during December (winning by a neck off this mark from Boomerang Bob) and January (neck runner up to Fast Track), but has seemingly been well below par on his latest two runs, and has a few questions to answer for now.

Form: 390311

(1)

Gold Flash²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: K T O'Neill| T: Hugo Froud| OR: 80

12/1

Been running well in claiming company for previous trainer Keith Dalgleish, most notably when 1L second to Lacan over 1m at Wolverhampton in early March. Drops in trip for stable debut, but best watched in handicaps from a mark that looks too high.

Form: 162489

(8)

Born To Finish^p⁵⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: D A Parkes⁽⁵⁾| T: J Gask| OR: 80

5/1

Beaten by the draw at Kempton on his penultimate start, or else he'd be coming here seeking a six-timer. Raised 4lb for his latest C&D success in mid February (Bertie Blu Boy second, Ballesteros third), but this rider returns to take off a very handy 5lbs. Likely to take a deal of the beating if back in the same form from an eight week break.

Form: 131659

(9)

Varsovian²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Jack Duern⁽³⁾| T: D K Ivory| OR: 78

8/1

C&D winner, and there can be no mistaking that this is his trip with all seven of his victories coming over 6F. Therefore, far from disgraced over 7F when fourth to Saleh at Kempton late last month, and likely to run his race despite being 4lb higher than when winning here in February.

Form: 56-1444

(11)

Swiss Cross^p,t¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 9-4| J: Callum Shepherd⁽³⁾| T: P S McEntee| OR: 77

16/1

Old timer, and winner of twelve of his 110 races. Signs over the past few weeks that he is slowly returning to form (not beaten far on his last two starts at Kempton), so could go well from a 1lb lower mark than when winning by a nose over C&D in late December.

Form: 744733

(5)

Mezmaar^h²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 9-4| J: L P Keniry| T: M D I Usher| OR: 77

12/1

7F Kempton maiden winner for Kevin Morgan in June 2016, but left that trainer after his final start of that calendar year. Joined this stable, but last of eight on his recent return to action at Kempton (7F), with much more required (especially with Varsovian) now dropped in trip to 6F.

Form: 8157-89

(2)

Salvatore Fury^p³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: J P Spencer| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 76

5/1

C&D winner in this race in 2015, and holds a big chance of reversing November form with Alkhor on these terms, but he's proven to be a frustrating character (often on Tapeta at Newcastle) since then. However, jockey booking catches the eye for a very well respected trainer and could go well if returning to form.

Form: 676206

(10)

Red Tycoon²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: P J Dobbs| T: K O Cunningham-Brown| OR: 74

25/1

Left David Barron for 13,000 gns in October 2016, and made a low-key stable debut when sixth behind Bouclier over 6F at Kempton last month (Swiss Cross fourth). On a fair mark, but could possibly do with one more run in terms of fitness before taking a closer look.

Form: 0150-65

(4)

Ballesteros¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-1| J: T Hamilton| T: R A Fahey| OR: 74

16/1

Eight time winner, but his record on synthetics reads zero from eight. However, he is edging down the weights, and he was approximately 1L third over this C&D to Born To Finish (Bertie Blu Boy second) in mid February, so isn't without some kind of chance.

Form: 963060

(3)

Bertie Blu Boy^b¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 8-10| J: J F Egan| T: L Williamson| OR: 69

25/1

Seven time course winner, and a ¾L runner up to Born To Finish (Ballesteros third) over C&D in mid February, but well beaten on both of his most recent starts so needs to bounce back to figure.

Form: 226009

Non-Runners

(12)

Parkour¹⁸

Weight: 9-6| Age: 4

T: M Botti J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Alkhor (7/2), Parkour (4/1), Salvatore Fury (5/1), Born To Finish (5/1), Oriental Relation (11/2), Varsovian (8/1), Gold Flash (12/1), Mezmaar (12/1), Swiss Cross (16/1), Ballesteros (16/1), Red Tycoon (25/1), Bertie Blu Boy (25/1)

An open race in which Born To Finish can be expected to get the better of old foes Bertie Blu Boy and Ballesteros with David Parkes taking off a handy 5lb. 2015 winner Salvatore Fury has an eye-catching jockey booking (Jamie Spencer), and he's handicapped to get the better of Alkhor on their November tussle, but Marco Botti's PARKOUR is the selection. The application of cheek-pieces will help this four-year-old put in a stronger finishing effort than he produced when third at Newcastle on his latest start, and if kidded into contention late by Luke Morris, he's certainly on a winnable mark, and he might not well know he's had a race at this much sharper track than Gosforth Park.

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