Lingfield 24/11/09

A week of mixed emotions. On the upside, Lingfield managed to survive a wet week without being abandoned, classic albums by "Burning Tree" by Burning Tree, "Masters Of Reality" by Masters Of Reality and "Conception" by Chyld have all washed up on Spotify and a shop with an almost unlimited supply of pickled onion flavour Monster Munch was found (truly the greatest snack of all time - or is the Nice'n'Spicy Nik-Naks heresy in fact, the truth?). On the other hand, Elegant Olive missed her handicap debut thanks to a schooling fall, after an iffy first nine weeks the Seattle Seahawks managed to play their worst game yet of the season, the Europa League is already tainted by betting scandal and not one mad scientist or extremist terrorist has had the decency to nuke the places where X-Factor, Strictly Come Dancing or I'm A Celebrity are filmed. Where is the justice and humanity?

And the Racing Post seems to be headed to doolally land as well. Obviously presenting opinions for debate is fine, all part of the fun, but these two from the weekend just make no sense.

On Starluck: "He can reverse the outcome on a flatter track and better ground." Maybe, but if anyone can find a flatter track than Haydock, they are redefining the concept of a gradient!

On once raced My Les at Towcester: "Looked one paced that day and has to be a doubt this stiffer track will suit." Surely the first phrase is every indicator as to why the horse was at Towcester in the first place?

Going: Hurdle - Heavy, Chase - Soft

Race 1: Ashdown Forest Handicap Chase [2m]

1: Suntini     2: Babe Heffron     3: Sebastiano

Winner owned: Favourites Racing XX, trained: Emma Lavelle, ridden: Jack Doyle

It was impossible to crab Suntini's chase debut (and he had no pointing experience to help), as Babe Heffron ensured as truly run race in the conditions as could be expected, and the winner did nothing wrong at all, when there was every excuse for him to be wanting - an unfamiliar left handed track, a seven month break prior to it, and a couple of sub-par runs as a beaten favourite when last seen. The runner-up has won two since he joined Tom George and gone up 30 pounds for doing so. However, last time, even at form-freaky Cartmel, winning by fourteen and thirty-five lengths was just too eye-catching and the handicapper's response was par for the course. Sebastiano was, indeed, the Sebastiano we all know and love until the day it finally comes right for him, when we will inevitably all have backed the second.

Soft ground inevitably resulted in a careful early pace but Babe Heffron (1), Funny Fellow (6) and Gabreselassie (not named for two miles on soft ground) could at least look like they are racing and not cantering to the start.

Race 2: Blackberry Lane mares' Novice Hurdle [2m 0.5f]

1: Dot's Delight     2: Megasue     3: Minella Mistake

Winner owned: Mrs SE Lindley, trained: Mark Rimell, ridden: Peter Toole

Obviously Dot's Delight has forgiven connections for running her in late summer on fast ground, as now that the rain has come, she has won two out of two. The key seems to be pace, as her poor flat form and early hurdle showings suggest that she can lay up more easily in the relative stroll when going is softish, but gets outpaced a touch otherwise. Megasue, who was well backed into odds-on, suffered the same fate as two weeks ago - perfectly fine run, just one opponent proved too strong. Minella Mistake was a 66/1 chance but got third entirely on merit and was still nibbling into the gap ahead of her at the finishing line. Richard Rowe's yard would be flagged as in form had not four runners recently come to grief when challenging to win late in the race, and she was another to perform to the peak of her abilities. A couple down the field seemed to be given an easy time of it, but Utern (placed in a bumper that is working out especially badly, unseated on hurdle debut) and Etain (already 'earned' a rating of just 77, fell early last time) have not yet proven that there is something to get worked up about.

Race 3: Felbridge Beginners' Chase [2m]

1: Sunnyhillboy     2: Award Winner     3: Lupanar

Winner owned: JP McManus, trained: Jonjo O'Neill, ridden: Tony McCoy

For some of us, this race provided the highlight of the day, as the appropriately named Back Among Friends was here to bid to improve on having pulled up in this in 2007 and coming second in 2008 - for good measure he ran in the novice hurdle on this card in 2006. Of course, after all these adventures he is still winless in chases. He was his usual splendid self, bowling off clear in front and then whalloping the sixth. However, he battled on when headed, and all five runners were no more than a length apart at the third last. Award Winner went badly left there and lost ground, and favourite Sunnyhillboy cruised into the lead. From then on, it might have been plain sailing, but none of his rivals gave in, and Award Winner rallied really strongly to force Sunnyhillboy to break sweat. A win, not an impressive one for a classy hurdler (won a 22 runner handicap at Aintree when rated 133), but he did seem to have grown beyond being a two miler in that sphere, and this was maybe a compromise race for him. Lupanar (sloppy jumps early, needs further) and Enfant De Lune (off the boil when ground dried in the spring) both ran solidly.

Photoshop some snow on and Lingfield have their Christmas card - Back Among Friends in the pre-parade ring

Race 4: Copthorne Novice Hurdle [2m 3.5f]

1: Stoney's Treasure     2: Samurai Way     3: Have You Seen Me

Winner owned: Mr & Mrs FC Welch, trained: Alan King, ridden: Robert Thornton

There were no excuses in this race - four horses approached the second last in a line, none got in any other's way, the strongest finisher came out best, the weakest worst. First impressions were that a patient ride and the rail to help would see favourite General Kutuzov prevail, but he was found wanting. Defeating Napoleon was an upset that looked all the more inevitable with hindsight and, in a contrived metaphor, maybe Stoney's Treasure will be the equine equivalent of the original General Kutuzov. His two bumper runs seemed of no more than fair quality, and both on good ground - clearly he was a much better horse today (or Megastar's Sandown bumper win was a terrific race). Samurai Way gave his all, and outlasted the hard pulling Have You Seen Me for the minor honours. The third was been highly tried since his debut bumper win, and often horribly exposed, but he seems to be easing down to a realistic level.

Stoney's Treasure is quickest away from the last - with Samurai Way (trying to force himself into view), Have You Seen Me (yes, clearly) and a slightly startled General Kutuzov beavering away with varied degrees of success. Just behind the General is a hint of Quick De Montot, who lost a lot of ground on the run-in, and clearly bears plenty of mental scars from the events of 1812.

Race 5: Burstow Handicap Chase [3m]

1: Fine Parchment     2: Portrait Royale     3: Quazy De Joie

Winner owned: NWA Bannister, trained: Charlie Mann, ridden: Noel Fehily

This was Fine Parchment's debut for a new yard, having failed to win up north whilst showing his best form over two and half miles or so, on faster ground. Being only six, there was a possibility that he had matured into a soft ground staying chaser, and the betting market certainly believed in him. Once he avoided any aggro by leading rounding the home turn, it was clear that Fine Parchment was going far better than any rival. When Portrait Royale (apparently putting last season's unrelenting series of accidents behind her) and Quazy De Joie knuckled down and began to whittle away at the lead on the run-in, the winner had to work a little, but won, without being 100% convincing. There were some even more unconvincing types in the opposition as well. Quazy De Joie had pulled up in his only chase. The titchy Not For Diamonds had unseated in both of his (remounted for fourth in one) and as good as pulled up after a very bad mistake four out when in with a chance. The great, big, voluminous (add in extra adjectives or delete them and replace with "hippo") beast that is Bobby Bullock had a fall and a pulled up in two chase runs, and was struggling with a lap to go. He finished, but hopelessly tailed off, and it is shame that he is not getting his act right in the arena where his future seemed to lie.

Race 6: Hartfield Handicap Hurdle [2m o.5f]

1: Spear Thistle     2: Just Beware     3: Lemon Silk

Winner owned: Tony Hayward & Sue Head, trained: Charlie Mann, ridden: Noel Fehily

Although Fine Parchment made a minor scare for himself half an hour earlier, this was the race Spear Thistle would have picked for himself had he been allowed to choose his own course, distance and going and he won extremely easily, after he avoided Elk Trail's erratic course round the bend at the foot of the hill. His rating in this was 123 (eleven above his last winning mark) but the ultra-reliable Just Beware is herself fifteen above that which she has won from. Not so long ago, Lemon Silk was winning a grade 2 novice hurdle, but shortly afterwards decided that he had done more than enough for a career. His form had deteriorated so badly that he was out of the handicap in this, but showed a little bit more life, even if no real threat to the winner. Rileyev folded a touch tamely on his return to action and was even worse this time. Deserving a mention, as every other horse has had one, is Magic Sky who was fourth. On the one hand, racing from a mark two stone below his best chase rating of 142 must give something to work with. On the other, his only UK hurdle win was when 2/5 favourite in a seller.

Race 7: Marsh Green Junior Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race [1m 5f]

1: Behindcloseddoors     2: Di Kaprio     3: Reinriver

Winner owned and trained: Pam Sly, ridden: Noel Fehily

An all-weather bumper. For three year olds. Over a short distance. The chances of seeing anything special are next to zero. Anything worthwhile not much better. The will to live is over-rated. There was much signalling of greenness in the pre-parade ring, but to the youngsters credit, they pretty much got on with job well at the start and in the race, when the strengthening gales might have caused some upset. Behindcloseddoors reeled in Di Kaprio (clear leader until half a furlong out) to make a very profitable hour and a quarter for Noel Fehily.

Plus Points

Suntini (race 1): Jumped well and looks a natural over fences. The handicapper will also have spotted this, but if it is deemed that Babe Heffron has been raised too far, then Suntini could escape for a while yet.

Babe Heffron (race 1): Two miles, softish ground, on a left-handed, sharp track and his front running tactics and sound jumping could beat into submission a small field, irrespective of his rocket-like rise (obviously not the ex-Soviet crash-prone ones) up the handicap.

Gabreselassie (race 1): Pulled up in a three miler on his chase debut, but ran much better back at two miles, on unsuitably soft ground. There seems to be a chance of it coming right on another day, and he was probably not the runner that drew JP McManus to the track.

Minella Mistake (race 2): Was tackling testing ground for the first time and seemed to relish it. There was some definite promise in her bumper form and she also turned around the outcome of her hurdling debut with Jenny's Gold, suggesting that she is progressing.

Jenny's Gold (race 2): Did well in bumpers but found the going a bit too much here. She was pushed, scrubbed and encouraged but not bashed about and can do a bit better.

Award Winner (race 3): Went down a neck today, after plenty of vocal encouragement from the saddle, which was much better than two previous chase drubbings by Tataniano and Take The Breeze. Going up to two and a half miles will help.

Enfant De Lune (race 3): Ended up last of five, but was not beaten until the last fence, and ran no worse than quite a few of Alan King's seasonal debutants. His jumping was fine and he should have a bit more fun when sloshing around in the mud in months to come.

Samurai Way (race 4): Once a top notch flat handicapper, before today one drubbing in a novice hurdle was all he had managed since October 2007. The giddy heights that may have been hoped for earlier are probably out of reach, but there is still a job to be done with him (hopefully not hari kari).

Fire Within (race 4): Twice seen off in very decent novice hurdles, he was beaten further in this less inspiring race. It was, however, the infamous third run, and a rapid improvement in handicaps would be less than a shock.

Lemon Silk (race 6): If this was a stepping stone to better things, and not a bizarre one-off, he is spectacularly well handicapped on his old form.

Down Arrows

Sebastiano (race 1): Third rather than second, it was the same old story, but he was favourite!

La Sarrazine (race 2): Won 4 from 8 flat races, up to 1m 2f on good to soft to heavy. She found heavy jumps going a different kettle of fish, but more worryingly was fairly sloppy in her hurdling. A try on better ground would be worth a day out, but she is one to oppose at a very short price for now.

General Kutuzov (race 4): Seemed to have been building up to glory (and the Gifford yard's Russian themed horses are usually useful) but when that day came, the outcome was all a bit of a let down. 

Fine Parchment (race 5): Won, but when he came out of cruise mode, the response was not exactly electric. Maybe his stamina failed, maybe it was the natural result of a soft ground race after nine months off, but it is something to be wary of.

Dusk (race 5): Won a muppet race a day earlier, his third success in a fortnight, but for a small horse this was a step too far and he pulled up. His trio of triumphs were due to entering chases handicapped on some appalling hurdle form.

Georges Boy (race 5): Had course, distance, going and a rating below his last winning one all in his favour. On the scales of justice, his recently adopted sulky attitude now outweighs them all.

Uncle Eli (race 5): Unlike some of his rivals today, can get round in a chase, and has done so, but a couple of unseateds point to his achilles heel.

Elk Trail (race 6): The horses behind him in two novice wins last season have proven categorically that his rating is about ten pounds too high, and the fact that he ran off too freely in front and hung on the final bend might mean that even if he gets that sort of drop, it will not be enough to get him back on the winning trail, elk-free of elk-laden.