16:10 Lingfield

Saturday 20 January 2018

All12:2012:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:4016:10

Betway Sprint Handicap

Off time: 16:14 | Winning time: 1m 11.34s

(1)

Secret Strategy¹⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Shelley Birkett⁽³⁾| T: Miss J Feilden| OR: 69

10/1

Dual Brighton winner who reportedly liked the easy ground last time. Took time to take an interest that day, but picked his rivals off nicely once he did. Similar behaviour could be troublesome from an inside berth on this quicker surface.

Form: 185681-

(6)

Indian Affair^b,t⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: Kerrie Raybould⁽⁷⁾| T: J M Bradley| OR: 69| CD

6/1

Scored under his rider here last month and went well at Wolverhampton last week. Probably a few pounds better there than he is here and nearly four years since he scored off a similar mark.

Form: 29241-3

(4)

Picket Line¹³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: T J Murphy| T: G Deacon| OR: 68| D

14/1

Suited to AW surfaces so best to overlook his last two starts. Off the track four months and history suggests he will need the run, particularly with the yard approaching 200 days without a winer.

Form: 496300-

(5)

Yorkee Mo Sabee^h,t⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Aaron Jones⁽³⁾| T: S C Williams| OR: 68| D

10/1

Has form in better company than this but appeared on the downgrade last year. Misbehaved last time and the run is best ignored, but 6f around here may be an insufficient test even on a co-operative day.

Form: 723406-

(2)

Gold Club²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Charlie Bennett⁽³⁾| T: L Carter| OR: 67| CD

6/1

Has posted two big runs for this yard and drawn to deliver another here. Slightly worse off with Indian Affair on last month's form, but he would be expected to reverse the placings as that came after three months on the sidelines.

Form: 683721-

(11)

Duke Cosimo¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-4| J: R Winston| T: M Herrington| OR: 66| D

14/1

Form is in decline and, although he has offered some signs of bouncing back, he remains expensive to follow having gone 23 races since his last win.

Form: 63247-7

(12)

Anonymous John⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: L P Keniry| T: D J S Ffrench Davis| OR: 66| D

25/1

Winner of five races with last April's C&D success his only win in 30 starts. Has become well-handicapped following some modest efforts lately, but remains hard to recommend.

Form: 88979-7

(3)

Strategic Heights^v¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 9-3| J: D C Costello| T: J A Osborne| OR: 65| D

9/2

All six wins in Ireland came at Dundalk and has found one too good in three of his six starts for this yard. Better drawn here than he was when touched off by Bridge Builder at Kempton 10 days ago and likely to have a big say in the outcome.

Form: 72592-2

(10)

Met By Moonlight²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: L Morris| T: R J Hodges| OR: 65| C

11/2

Gave Steve Drowne a successful send off on New Year's Eve when helped by the second and third doing too much up front. Overcame a poor draw to gain that success, but poorly berthed again in a better race off a mark which overvalues that achievement.

Form: 205661-

(9)

Compton Prince^b¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 9-0| J: F Norton| T: J M Bradley| OR: 62| CD

12/1

All nine of his career victories have come in class six contests and he looks held by some of these on running behind Bridge Builder at Kempton 10 days ago.

Form: 67871-0

(7)

Mossgo^t²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-0| J: Kieren Fox| T: J R Best| OR: 62| C

16/1

Loves it here with six C&D wins to his name. More encouraging run last time, but nowadays he looks better in lesser company than he faces here.

Form: 477905-

(8)

Bridge Builder^v¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 9-0| J: Charles Bishop| T: P Hedger| OR: 62| CD

6/1

Yard have won this twice including with this veteran 12 months ago. Just got the better of a duel with Strategic Heights here 10 days ago and the pair are weighted accordingly.

Form: 00835-1

Forecasts

Strategic Heights (9/2), Met By Moonlight (11/2), Bridge Builder (6/1), Gold Club (6/1), Indian Affair (6/1), Secret Strategy (10/1), Yorkee Mo Sabee (10/1), Compton Prince (12/1), Picket Line (14/1), Duke Cosimo (14/1), Mossgo (16/1), Anonymous John (25/1)

Last year's winner Bridge Builder and Strategic Heights are closely matched on their recent Kempton clash. Marginal preference is for Strategic Heights who did not have the best of draws there and whose front-running style will ensure he takes some catching from a handy berth. Compton Prince and Mossgo like it around here, but both look better in lower grade races. Secret Strategy likes Brighton so the undulations here will not pose a problem. However, there has been some give in the ground for his two successes. GOLD CLUB has started life well for his new trainer and has a good draw. He arrives fresher than most and on an upward curve. He is closely matched with Indian Affair on running here last month, but should turn the tables as that was his first run after an absence.