Usually it is horses, trainers and the occasional jockey that suffer from a multiple personality disorder, but this time it managed to be the entire race meeting! It started off as a fairly standard fixture, became rather farcical at the half way point due to small fields and the sun, before ending with an all-weather bumper - whisper it, but it was actually not a disastrous quality race. 

Given that there have been fairly few jump meetings at the track, the Racing Post stats for the course are mostly working with inadequate numerical samples. However, two did catch the eye. Alan King in hurdles races - run 9, won 5. He was here to watch his only runner of the day. Jamie Moore in all races - rides 46, wins 2. It may be bad luck, bad mounts, bad decisions or a combination thereof, but there must come a point when the rider has it in the back of his mind that he is off to a track where things never go right. Today's four rides - 2P2U.

Going: 

Chase: Good to Firm, Good places,     Hurdle: Good, Good to Firm places

Race 1: Jumping Here Again on the 28th mares' Novice Hurdle [2m]

1: Just Beware     2: She's Humble     3: Pia Jane

Winner owned: The Secret Circle, trained: Zoe Davison, ridden: Gemelle Gracey-Davison

As novice hurdles go, this was a rather weak affair, the finish being fought out by mares rated 83 and 87. However, it will retain legendary status, as Just Beware was finally getting off of the mark after 41 instances of sporting futility. Not many horses manage to finally deliver after such a run of non-success, and those that do invariably manage it in a seller or very low grade handicap. How many people present appreciated the rarity of the events that they had just witnessed? Founders of all the major religions had exactly the same problem. Look out for the Book Of Bewarism to be published here in the future - their theology reveres the mystical powers of the fruit pie. Halfway up the run-in, favourite She's Humble (who was led in at the start) was still holding a comfy lead. Did she stop herself, or was Jamie Moore caught out by the winner's belated charge? Samerous looked like she was having a bit of an educational, but the way she jumped early on suggested it was needed and there has been no real sign of ability yet.

Connections are slightly more amazed and pleased than Just Beware, who wonders what all the fuss is about

Race 2: lingfieldpark.co.uk Novice Handicap Chase [3m]

1: Ilongue     2: Celtic Society     3: Armoury House

Winner owned: Steve Webb & Gerry Parker, trained: Robin Dickin, ridden: Rodi Greene

It is a 0-90 handicap something. Horses get in these on bottom weight because they have shown no aptitude for racing whatsoever, and only a small smattering of trainers have the skill to occasionally get a competent animal down to such a low mark for their handicap debut. Despite this universal rule, we saw the front two battle out the finish burdened with the minimum of 10 stone. The runner-up was making his chase debut, and the facts that i) he not already proven to be a problem and ii) that his least dismal hurdle run was at Lingfield made Celtic Society third favourite. He went wide in the home straight and got caught out by the rarely material elbow on the chase run-in, but Ilongue would probably have won anyway. Taking only 19 tries to lose the maiden status makes her look positively impatient compared to Just Beware. Having jumped badly in a couple of earlier chases, Armoury House showed improvement in that area but weakened a bit tamely for comfort.

Race 3: EBF Novice Hurdle [2m 3.5f]

1: Openditch     2: Pocket Aces     3: Kahrayn

Winner owned: David Johnson, trained: Henrietta Knight, ridden: Denis O'Regan

It was both shocking and amazing to see early on that the back three, just poodling around, should be a seasonal debutant from Henrietta Knight (but not the winner!), a newcomer from Emma Lavelle and a hurdling debutant from Richard Rowe. What was a bit unexpected was that two of them got seriously involved in the race! The Richard Rowe horse, Pocket Aces ran a blinder, only conceding to Openditch at the last. Openditch was in the end a very impressive winner, and looks quite talented. The only worry was that he went backwards after a similarly good bumper debut and does not yet have the build to physically endure too much hard work. The Lavelle runner Chuquicamata (opened 7s but touched 14/1) had every chance descending the hill, and weakened from two out. Not a disastrous start. 

Race 4: Lingfield Park for Christmas Parties Handicap Chase [2m 4.5f]

1: Ossmann     2: Buckland Gold     3: Monsieur Georges

Winner owned: Silkwood Racing Partnership, trained: Tom George, ridden: Wayne Hutchinson

Due to the sun, the four fences in the back straight were omitted, the decision coming as the horses were at the start. On the one hand, reducing avoidable risks is important, but before this trend started not so long ago, reported instances of sun-induced falls were hardly littering the form book. The other aspect is that, unlike missing the odd obstacle due to injuries being treated in the vicinity, having a run of three-quarters of a mile with no fences has a very material influence on the race, and many bets may have been placed around the country on the assumption that a full quota would be jumped - not everyone can wait until 10 seconds before the off before betting. As far as the horses go, Ossmann ran a blinder as he looked like the race would bring him on some. He was allowed to dictate his own sedate pace, which meant that he may not have been tested for fitness as early as a true run race would have done. Also, Buckland Gold (blundered badly two out) saves his best for Folkestone and is better hurdling, due to his diminutive stature. And Monsieur Georges, still a maiden after 34 races, was not inspired by earlier events!

Race 5: Book Online for Discounted Prices Handicap Chase [2m]

1: O'Toole     2: Glengarra

Winner owned: Mrs LR Lovell, trained: Philip Hobbs, ridden: Richard Johnson

Two non-runners left just three going to post, and with the back straight fences again bypassed, this race was genuinely a total irrelevance for the future. Venetia Williams' trained Stan presumably did not make it as he refused to enter the horsebox when he realised that the trainer would be driving. Those that did line up all have their idiosyncrasies, by which I mean days that they just cannot be bothered. Vinmix De Bessy walloped two out and unseated when a length down and looking the least likely. No one can genuinely say that they knew which one would have been more in the mood had O'Toole and Vinmix De Bessy been forced to battle each other seriously.

Race 6: Lingfield Park Golf Club Handicap Hurdle [2m 7f]

1: Domenico     2: Roman Rampage     3: Chico Time

Winner owned: Skullduggery, trained: John Jenkins, ridden: Richard Johnson

Just four lined up this time, and after the only front runner did not turn out, it predictably ended up with the sort of pace that had everyone looking for the on-duty hearse that the field seemed to be following. Roman Rampage made a good fist of dictating his own pace on ground too fast for him, but was picked up readily by the winner. Domenico had last won just over four years ago, just about the last time that there was a honest phone-in on television. In all that time, he did not race beyond 2m 5f. His last three runs? 3m 2f, second beaten 1/2 length. 3m 2f, second beaten 3/4 length. 2m 7f, won. Connections must be wondering why they didn't try it earlier as he has been well below his last winning mark for some considerable time.

Roman Rampage a slower pace than it looks, from Chico Time & Beaufort, with Domenico in rear

Race 7: Lingfield Park for Weddings Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race [2m]

1: Outlandish     2: Master Darcy     3: Trempari

Winner owned: LG Kimber & S Kimber, trained: Andrew Turnell, ridden: Barry Fenton

After winning on grass here, Outlandish was far from embarrassed at Cheltenham, and racked up a second success dropping back in class here. He outpaced the runner-up in the last quarter of a mile, helped by that horse running either green or awkwardly late on. Trempari, a first bumper runner for his yard, stayed on past opponents that have shown glimpses of previous ability.

Plus points  

Pia Jane (race 1): Started in a bumper with some decent mares against her, but the form is unmeasurable due to it being run at walking pace. This was a drop in class after running over 2m 6f at Ascot, and she seems to have something to work on, especially if she comes on for the run.

Pocket Aces (race 3): Not embarrassed in decent company for his one bumper run, he did even better at the first sight of hurdles.

Kahrayn (race 3): Ran a bit green, but ultimately ran reasonably well. Bear in mind that despite being from Alan King's yard, he was 14/1 on his bumper debut and looks as if his long term prospects are greater than those here and now

Bynack Mhor (race 3): Stable mate of Openditch, he has shown zero so far, but after this quite stroll is at least qualified for handicaps.

Ossmann (race 4): Based on fitness and improved jumping compared to previous try, he could be well ahead of the handicapper.

Master Darcy (race 7): A second good run in low grade company, and he looks the part, although a yellow card is shown for the manner that he negotiated the home straight.

Down arrows

Finbar's Pi (race 3): Even allowing for his probably needing further, his being Mick Fitzgerald's only ride, and Brendan Powell's recent good form made the inability to get involved a bit of a backward step from his hurdles debut.

Friendly Request (race 4): Has won three races but since a fall in the spring she has run four times and been well below par each time.

The Iron Giant (race 4): Failed for the fourth time in 21 days. To appear so often suggests that he has not really been going to his last drop of energy each time. The Brendan Powell hot streak would look even better if The Iron Giant is excluded from it.

UK Jumping selections

Charlies Double (race 2): Not at home on an undulating track, and nine months off meant that managing to avoid taking on Denman and Fair Along et al for a change could not be exploited on the day.