12:24 Lingfield

Sunday 31 December 2023

All12:2412:5413:2413:5414:2414:5415:24

Win 2,000,000 With BetMGM's Golden Goals Handicap

Off time: 12:35 | Winning time: 1m 23.47s

(1)

Arctician^h¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Paddy Bradley⁽³⁾| T: S Dow| OR: 77| CD

9/2

C&D winner. 5/1, creditable second of 10 in C&D handicap 18 days ago. Should be thereabouts again.

Form: 575442

(3)

Desert Doctor⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-11| J: Tom Marquand| T: E Walker| OR: 77| C

14/1

Course winner. Latest win at Salisbury in September. Eighth of 10 in handicap at Newcastle (6f, 17/2) 51 days ago. Tom Marquand up but others are still preferred.

Form: 60-5188

(2)

Chola Empire^h¹²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Hayley Turner| T: D M Simcock| OR: 75| D

7/2

Respectable eighth of 13 in handicap (7/1) at Newcastle (7f), unable to sustain effort. Off 122 days. Hood back on. On a workable mark if primed after his short break.

Form: 443838

(7)

Dayman¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: David Probert| T: D J S Ffrench Davis| OR: 75| D

9/2

Third of 11 in handicap at Kempton (7f, 33/1) 18 days ago, nearest finish. Won off a higher mark last year. Considered.

Form: 009-703

(5)

Thapa VC^t⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: J Mitchell| T: M G Rimell| OR: 74| CD

7/2

Former C&D scorer who resumed winning ways with a bit to spare at Southwell (7f) 9 days ago. A 3 lb rise may not stop him.

Form: 772731

(4)

Abbey's Dream^p²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Hollie Doyle| T: A Watson| OR: 73| D

5/1

Three wins from 13 runs this year. Latest win at Wolverhampton in September. Creditable fifth of 12 in handicap at Newcastle (7f) 23 days ago, ridden too aggressively. Can play a part under Hollie Doyle.

Form: 412025

(6)

Starsong^h¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Billy Loughnane| T: M Appleby| OR: 65

10/1

7/2, respectable fifth of 9 in handicap at Chelmsford (6f) 10 days ago. Capable of being very competitive from her mark.

Form: 472365

(8)

Fly The Nest³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: C Lee| T: A W Carroll| OR: 64| CD

66/1

Three wins earlier in year, including twice over C&D. Off 9 months, well held here 5 weeks ago. Needs to leave that well behind.

Form: 121610

(9)

A Pint Of Bear^p¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: K T O'Neill| T: S Dixon| OR: 62

22/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2021. Eighth of 9 in handicap (28/1) at Wolverhampton (7f) 12 days ago. Probably best to look elsewhere.

Form: 928388

Forecasts

Thapa VC (7/2), Chola Empire (7/2), Dayman (9/2), Arctician (9/2), Abbey's Dream (5/1), Starsong (10/1), Desert Doctor (14/1), A Pint Of Bear (22/1), Fly The Nest (66/1)

If THAPA VC is in the same form as at Southwell just before Christmas a 3 lb rise may not prevent him going in again. Dayman took a step back in the right direction at Kempton last time and is second choice ahead of Abbey's Dream.