16:55 Lingfield

Saturday 29 February 2020

All13:2514:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:55

Betway Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 16:55 | Winning time: 3m 23.64s

(1)

Author's Dream^v⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Elisha Whittington| T: W J Knight| OR: 78| CD

7/1

Concedes weight all round and this three-time C&D winner hasn't tasted success since that spell. Down the field at Wolverhampton (2m; standard) on seasonal return to action last month. Does have a good record in this grade though.

Form: 1897/4-8

(6)

Rydan^v¹²

Age: 9| Weight: 9-13| J: Rhys Clutterbuck⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 77| D

18/1

Gone off the boil recently, producing a trio of lesser efforts in defeat (beating just the one rival on each occasion). Looks one to oppose up against far more in-form rivals. 1lb below last winning mark on AW.

Form: 4420-76

(4)

Fleeting Visit^p¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: Erika Parkinson⁽³⁾| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 76

10/1

Yet to win in six starts on the AW, and he failed to beat a single rival (albeit on his first run for over a year) when fifth of five over 1m4f here recently. Masses to prove off the back of that.

Form: 43463/5

(5)

Monjeni^v¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: Oliver Stammers| T: Ian Williams| OR: 73| CD

10/1

25% strike-rate on the AW (3-12), and he is a previous C&D winner. Not won since December 2018. Improvement needed on his three runs this year too, including when fifth behind Blazon, Seaport and Manjaam last time out.

Form: 341/645

(8)

Seaport^t¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 9-8| J: Luke Catton| T: S Durack| OR: 72

11/4

Meets Blazon on the same terms as when runner-up to him last time when he posted a gallant effort in his bid to follow-up winning seasonal reappearance. Could still be well-handicapped though, and is hard to rule out.

Form: 69/00-12

(2)

Manjaam¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-8| J: Grace McEntee| T: D Loughnane| OR: 72| BF

5/1

4lb better off with Blazon after finishing fourth behind that rival when last seen. 20lb below his last winning mark, but has been displaying more encouraging signs of late. Has been costly to follow recently though (beaten at 5/2f, 9/4f & 2/1f).

Form: 9575-24

(7)

Blazon^p¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Amelia Glass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 69| CD

7/2

Stayed on strongly to score when back down to his last winning mark at Kempton (2m; standard to slow). Raised 3lb which may be lenient but he has never won off a mark as high as this before which leaves him vulnerable.

Form: 1545-91

(3)

Glutnforpunishment³³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Selma Grage⁽³⁾| T: N P Littmoden| OR: 68| C

9/2

Good overall strike rate on the AW (3-9), but this dual C&D scorer would need to find some improvement on his more recent efforts. Yard form a concern too (33 days since their last winner - nine runners in that time).

Form: 11374-4

Forecasts

Seaport (11/4), Blazon (7/2), Glutnforpunishment (9/2), Manjaam (5/1), Author's Dream (7/1), Monjeni (10/1), Fleeting Visit (10/1), Rydan (18/1)

Given he rattled off a hat-trick when last seen in this grade in early 2018, Author's Dream should not be totally written off. However, this looks set to be decided recent Kempton rivals including Manjaam who is 4lb better off at the weights with Blazon after finishing behind that rival. He should make a bold bid to reverse that 5-length deficit. Preference though, is for SEAPORT who may have been delivered just a fraction too early before being worn down by Blazon when the pair recently met. He still looks attractively handicapped off this mark and can regain the winning thread.