12:40 Lingfield

Wednesday 22 January 2020

All12:4013:1013:4514:2014:5015:2515:55

Bombardier 'March To Your Own Drum' Handicap

Off time: 12:43 | Winning time: 1m 24.19s

(4)

Kraka^v⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Kevin Lundie⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs C A Dunnett| OR: 62| C

4/1

Running himself in to form and his second to an unexposed rival at Southwell last time reads perfectly well enough; drawn fine here and takes a bit of a drop in class, seems to stay 7f although all wins have come at shorter.

Form: 8347-82

(8)

Our Charlie Brown^p¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: D C Griffiths| OR: 62| D

14/1

Pops up from time to time, has been running respectably for much of the winter and this step back up to 7f likely to be in his favour; slowly dropping back down to a workable mark too, and can;t be ruled out of a weak event.

Form: 4355-64

(10)

Fard¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: B A Curtis| T: M Moubarak| OR: 60

6/1

Came back from a short break to run well at Southwell earlier in the month, staying on to take fourth; still not convinced this trip suits as well as shorter does, but coming back to a workable mark and has the services of red-hot jockey too.

Form: 41195-4

(2)

In The Red^p²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: E J Walsh| T: Martin Smith| OR: 60| CD

20/1

His form over the past year rather says it all, hasn't beaten a single horse home in any of his last six starts and although falling very quickly in the handicap, there's clearly something not right and he can't be considered at present.

Form: 07000-9

(9)

Velvet Morn¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Callum Shepherd| T: W J Knight| OR: 60

15/2

Winner over 6f at Kempton last March but has found life harder in handicaps since then, and has been well held last two starts; however, unexposed at this trip and well worth a crack at it, so could easily improve from what now looks a good mark.

Form: 10677-7

(7)

Garth Rockett^p,t²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: S W Kelly| T: M Murphy| OR: 59| CD

9/2

Won back-to-back handicaps in November and now only 2lb higher than the last of them, so is fairly enough treated; looks a possible leader here and as he remains in good heart, cannot be discounted.

Form: 361136-

(3)

Mont Kiara¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: L Morris| T: S Dow| OR: 59| CD

6/1

C&D winner here in November when coming from off a fast pace to score late on, and almost repeated those tactics two starts later; clearly enjoys this track and drawn well enough if the gaps come late once more.

Form: 09102-6

(1)

Mochalov²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: A Kirby| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 59| BF| CD

3/1

C&D winner last August, so no problem with conditions, and latest defeat (when made favourite) easily forgiven as he was badly hampered; plot draw to work from if connections decide to go forward with him, and he's an interesting contender.

Form: 380339-

(6)

Noble Deed¹⁶⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 8-7| J: Nicola Currie| T: M J Attwater| OR: 45| C

50/1

Getting close to his pipe and slippers at the age of ten, and wasn't showing a lot of sparkle last summer when we last saw him out; got to go back to 2016 to find his last win, and looks unlikely to break that sequence here.

Form: 0045U6-

Non-Runners

(5)

Tio Esteban²

Weight: 8-13| Age: 5

T: W J Martin J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Mochalov (3/1), Kraka (4/1), Tio Esteban (4/1), Garth Rockett (9/2), Fard (6/1), Mont Kiara (6/1), Velvet Morn (15/2), Our Charlie Brown (14/1), In The Red (20/1), Noble Deed (50/1)

Kraka might well have been the pick for this if the race had been 6f rather than 7f, as he seems slightly better at that trip, but he is in good form and should go well. On the other hand, the step up to 7f should suit Our Charlie Brown and he should run his race, but preference is for MOCHALOV, who is drawn to attack from stall 1 and has a ready excuse for his latest, possibly unlucky, defeat. Garth Rockett and Velvet Morn are others to consider.