13:50 Lingfield

Saturday 11 May 2024

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:18

William Hill Epic Value Handicap

Off time: 13:53 | Winning time: 2m 26.52s

(8)

Peking Opera^b1²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: K Shoemark| T: G & J Moore| OR: 103

20/1

Listed winner for Aidan O'Brien last season, when also fourth in the Irish Derby. Won a juvenile hurdle for this yard in the winter but offered little when well-beaten last of 10 to Hamish in John Porter Stakes (125/1) at Newbury (12f, good) 21 days ago. Blinkers applied for handicap debut.

Form: 17473-0

(6)

Aimeric²⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: James Doyle| T: R Varian| OR: 102| D

5/4

Career best when winning 7-runner handicap at Beverley (12.1f, good to firm, 7/4), overcoming pace bias. 6 lb rise looks light and he's highly respected on return.

Form: 10/1881-

(9)

If Not Now²⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Rossa Ryan| T: R M Beckett| OR: 102

5/1

Won 3-runner Sandown handicap (1¼m, good to soft) last season prior to creditable fifth in the German Derby. Clearly wasn't 100% when down the field at Doncaster next time and so looks best watched after 8 months off.

Form: 1/3158-

(3)

Base Note⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Harry Davies| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 97| D

14/1

Latest win at Chelmsford City in November. 33/1, eleventh of 14 in handicap at Newcastle (10.2f) 43 days ago, missing break. Looks to have gone off the boil recently.

Form: 132-570

(2)

Global Heat^p⁹²

Age: 8| Weight: 9-4| J: H Crouch| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 97| D

9/1

Unreliable type. Fifth of 8 in handicap (28/1) at Meydan (12f, good), again carrying head bit awkwardly. Off 92 days. Cheekpieces back on. Others preferred.

Form: 5550-95

(4)

True Legend^p²²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: L Morris| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 88| D

5/2

Improving middle-distance handicapper last season, scoring for third time at Salisbury (1½m) in July. Creditable fifth of 9 in handicap at Newmarket (12f, good to firm, 15/2). Off 7 months. Type to do better again this season.

Form: 512825-

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 5p in the pound

Non-Runners

(1)

Kolossal²⁰⁹

Weight: 9-13| Age: 6

T: J A Osborne J: Callum Shepherd

(5)

Track Of Time¹²⁰

Weight: 9-9| Age: 4

T: Ian Williams J: Daniel Muscutt

(7)

Flash Bardot¹⁴

Weight: 9-0| Age: 4

T: J Channon J: David Probert

Forecasts

Aimeric (5/4), True Legend (5/2), Flash Bardot (7/2), If Not Now (5/1), Global Heat (9/1), Track Of Time (10/1), Kolossal (12/1), Base Note (14/1), Peking Opera (20/1)

AIMERIC got back on the up when winning in taking fashion at Beverley when last seen and Roger Varian's gelding appeals as the type to make his mark felt in top-level handicaps this season, so this looks a good opportunity for him to make a winning return. Flash Bardot has a prolific recent record on slower ground and is hard to discount, whilst True Legend is also considered on his return after a progressive 3-y-o campaign.