14:55 Lingfield

Saturday 3 March 2018

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0016:3517:10

Betway Handicap

Off time: 15:01 | Winning time: 58.30s

(1)

Encore d'Or⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: R L Moore| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 104| CD

11/4

Useful sort who got up in the last stride to win this last year from a 5lb lower mark. Twice a winner since, including a Doncaster Listed race, he also went close in that grade over C&D last week. Obvious player.

Form: 719-002

(7)

Atletico⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Varian| OR: 100| BF| D

2/1

Fast improving Tapeta performer who has finished second in all three starts since winning at Newcastle in November. No obvious reason why he shouldn't prove as effective on polytrack and likely to be finishing with a late rattle.

Form: 671-222

(4)

Royal Birth^e/c,t⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: S M Levey| T: S C Williams| OR: 98| CD

8/1

Produced a great performance to win a Listed race over C&D around this time last year but without a win since, despite several fine efforts. He was around 2L behind Encore d'Or here last week but is now 3lb better off.

Form: 2-42995

(5)

Boom The Groom⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A W Carroll| OR: 96| CD

7/1

A while since he had his head in front but has shown up well in all four AW starts this winter, including when a 1¾L fourth in a Listed event over C&D latest. Behind Encore d'Or that day but 5lb better off.

Form: U0-2254

(2)

George Dryden²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: Jason Watson⁽⁷⁾| T: C Wallis| OR: 92| CD

8/1

Had looked to be regressing last year but has staged a revival for a different yard this winter and had Brother Tiger 1¾L in arrears when scoring over C&D last time. Despite a 5lb rise, he remains well-treated on his old form.

Form: 709-621

(8)

Cartographer¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: L Morris| T: M Meade| OR: 89

8/1

Lightly-raced filly who has won twice on turf (both 6f) and produced a decent effort over 7f on the AW at Kempton last month when beaten 2L. Mark looks fair enough but big ask on first 5f attempt in this company.

Form: 31029-4

(3)

Dynamo Walt^v¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-2| J: P Mathers| T: D Shaw| OR: 85| D

14/1

A credit to connections with 11 victories but has never won here and was no match for Encore d'Or in this race 12 months ago (same mark). Good second place effort here latest, however, but this is a better race.

Form: 74-6512

(6)

Brother Tiger⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 8-2| J: F Norton| T: D C Griffiths| OR: 80| CD

25/1

Consistent sort who took his C&D record to 5-9 when winning here last month but he was last of eight in the recent Listed event here, finishing 3¾L in arrears of Encore d'Or. Better off now, though 5lb out of the handicap.

Form: 2-22418

Forecasts

Atletico (2/1), Encore d'Or (11/4), Boom The Groom (7/1), George Dryden (8/1), Royal Birth (8/1), Cartographer (8/1), Dynamo Walt (14/1), Brother Tiger (25/1)

Plenty of collateral form on view here, not least because Encore d'Or - winner of this race 12 months ago - finished in front of Boom The Groom (4th), Royal Birth (5th) and Brother Tiger (8th) when finishing second in last week's Listed event over C&D. From stall 1, he should be good value for confirming that form despite meeting all three rivals on worse terms but ATLETICO may prove a different proposition under Andrea Atzeni. Roger Varian's gelding has taken really well to Tapeta this winter and remains on a handy mark.