13:10 Lingfield

Monday 4 January 2021

All12:1012:4013:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:40

Betway Handicap

Off time: 13:12 | Winning time: 58.13s

(5)

Royal Birth^t¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 9-11| J: Marco Ghiani⁽⁵⁾| T: S C Williams| OR: 96| CD

9/4

Ended long losing run when gaining fourth C&D win in 7-runner handicap 13 days ago by nose from Ornate. Up 2 lb but veteran is not taken lightly.

Form: 056291-

(7)

Ornate¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 9-11| J: M Dwyer| T: D C Griffiths| OR: 96| D

4/1

Nineteen runs since last win in 2019 buty posted good nose second of 7 to Royal Birth in handicap over C&D 13 days ago. In the mix nuged up just 1 lb.

Form: 462702-

(3)

Watchable^p¹³

Age: 11| Weight: 9-7| J: A Kirby| T: D O'Meara| OR: 92| CD

10/3

C&D winner who recorded good fourth of 7 to Royal Birth over C&D 13 days ago given not ideally placed. Veteran can make his presence felt again dropped 1 lb.

Form: 864304-

(2)

Stake Acclaim²³

Age: 9| Weight: 9-4| J: Callum Shepherd| T: D K Ivory| OR: 89| D

20/1

Arrives well out of sorts, 100/1 when last of 12 in handicap at Wolverhampton (6.1f) 23 days ago. Hard to make a case for.

Form: 543/000-

(4)

Spirit Of May²³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: J Mitchell| T: R A Teal| OR: 80

7/2

Four-time winner in 2019 but failed to win last term and only ninth of 12 in handicap at Wolverhampton (6.1f) 23 days ago. Has fallen to a workable mark but more is still needed.

Form: 686899-

(1)

Verne Castle^b,h¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 8-9| J: N Mackay| T: M Wigham| OR: 80| CD

10/1

C&D winner who didn't enjoy the rub of the green when sixth of 7 to Royal Birth over C&D 13 days ago. Sort to bounce back, so he's shortlisted dropped a handy 2 lb now.

Form: 424686-

Non-Runners

(6)

Recon Mission⁴

Weight: 9-4| Age: 5

T: A W Carroll J: Non Runner

(8)

Lihou¹³

Weight: 9-0| Age: 5

T: P D Evans J: Charles Bishop

Forecasts

Royal Birth (9/4), Lihou (3/1), Watchable (10/3), Spirit Of May (7/2), Ornate (4/1), Recon Mission (6/1), Verne Castle (10/1), Stake Acclaim (20/1)

RECON MISSION remains on a workable mark despite saddling a 5 lb penalty for his recent C&D victory so just gets the vote in a closely-knit sprint handicap. Royal Birth, who edged out a clutch of these over C&D recently, rates the major danger ahead of Verne Castle, who should enjoy a smoother passage this time and can't be discounted easily.