Racecards
14:00 Lingfield Park
E.b.f. 'national Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (qualifier) (Class 4)
- 14 Runners
- Distance: 2m 3f 110y
- Going: Good to Soft (Good in places, Chase Good)
- Surface: Turf
- £5,500 added
- Form 111
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey N D Fehily
took keen hold, held up in rear, ridden and struggling after 7th
Auburn Grey
284- Form 90-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer M D I Usher
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
not fluent, behind, ridden 5th, soon tailed off, pulled up before 2 out
Captain's Legacy
206- Form P27-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer D M Grissell
- Jockey M Batchelor
in touch, ridden and mistake 3 out, one pace and no impression from next
Gentle John (FR)
197- Form 70-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer R M Stronge
- Jockey Andrew Tinkler
always behind, ridden and struggling 6th, tailed off
- Form 19/2
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
led to 4th, tracked leader, chased winner soon after 3 out, no impression when jumped right 2 out and last, hung right under pressure run-in
King Louis (FR)
257- Form 5/00853-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 110
took keen hold, tracked leaders, went 2nd 4th, led 6th to 3 out, weakened rapidly, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
- Form 2-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer V R A Dartnall
- Jockey L Heard
held up, steady headway from 3 out, chased leading pair next, stayed on same pace
Nightfly (IRE)
238- Form 10-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer C Llewellyn
- Jockey Paul Moloney
tracked leaders, led soon after 3 out, in command after next, in no danger when mistake last
- Form 6-2
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Miss H C Knight
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
hampered 4th, held up, plugged along at one pace from 3 out, no impression when mistake next
Or Jaune (FR)
178- Form 1-3
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey P Hide
slightly hampered 4th, always rear division
- Form 08-5
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer M Scudamore
- Jockey J Kington
chased leader to 4th, struggling 6th, well behind when mistake 2 out
- Form 1-12
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer N A Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Tony Evans
behind, ridden 5th, soon struggling, tailed off
- Form 8-7
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer M G Rimell
- Jockey J E Moore
mistake 1st, in touch, hampered and brought down 4th
Miss Domino
263- Form 0P-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-5
- Trainer S J Gilmore
- Jockey J Diment
held up, blundered and hampered 4th, well behind when pulled up before next
In depth
Verdict
Bajan Sunshine probably has more to do under a penalty than when making a winning hurdling debut at Fakenham last month and a better bet in a potentially interesting novice hurdle is Nightfly, who gets the vote ahead of Lappeenranta and Olmeto Collonges. The last mentioned has raced twice over fences in France but makes his British debut over hurdles and Henrietta Knight's gelding may be best watched. Nigel Twiston-Davies has his string in good form at present so Thai Vango has to be respected along with Nigel Hawke's Greenhill Bramble, who showed respectable form in bumpers last season but lacks a recent run. Or Jaune has shown a similar level of form in bumpers and may improve for going over timber, while Victor Darnell's has wasted no time in putting Lappeenranta over hurdles and he has to be of interest. The vote though goes to Carl Llewellyn's Nightfly, who won his bumper debut at Southwell prior to running a fair race in the Festival Bumper at Cheltenham. As ever, the form of that race has worked out well and, with the Llewellyn yard in such fine form, Nightfly may well be fit enough to make a winning hurdling debut.
Formwatch
Bajan Sunshine (IRE) 10-11fav (10-12) Always prominent, led approaching 2 out, ridden and ran on flat, won at Fakenham 2m 4f nov hdl (4) gd in Oct beating Captain Smoothy (10-12) by 2l, 12 ran.
Auburn Grey 66-1 (10-0) Soon prominent, ridden along halfway, weakened well over 6f out, tailed off, 11th of 12, well behind Dark Corner (10-0) at Chepstow 2m nhf (6) sft in Jan.
Captain's Legacy 6-1 (11-0) In touch, ridden and some headway 7th, weakened 4 out, 7th of 10, well behind Buster Collins (11-0) at Plumpton 2m 5f nov hdl (4) gs in Apr.
Gentle John (FR) 12-1 (10-13) Started slowly, always behind, 10th of 16, 22l behind The Entomologist (11-4) at Towcester 2m mdn nhf (5) gd in Apr.
Greenhill Bramble (IRE) 11-1 (11-4) Led, ridden over 3f out, edged right final furlong, headed inside, no extra, 2nd of 11, 1l behind Mountain Approach (10-4) at Worcester 2m nhf (6) gd in May.
King Louis (FR) 20-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders in 4th, led and 3 out, hit 2 out and soon headed, no extra, 3rd of 10, 5l behind Manners (11-0) at Sandown 2m nh nov hdl (3) sft in Feb.
Lappeenranta (IRE) 25-1 (11-4) Chased leader, ridden to lead inside final furlong, headed and not pace of winner near finish, 2nd of 13, 1 1/2l behind Sound Accord (11-4) at Chepstow 2m nhf (6) gs in Mar.
Nightfly (IRE) 66-1 (11-5) Mid-division, lost place after 4f out, well behind over 3f out, stayed on from over 1f out, never dangerous, 14th of 23, 17l behind Hairy Molly (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m nhf Grd 1 (1) gd in Mar.
Olmeto Collonges (FR) (9-13) 2nd of 16, 8l behind Onika D'airy (10-6) at Auteuil 2m 1f chs sft in May.
Or Jaune (FR) 5-2 (11-2) Held up in mid-division, headway over 2f out, ridden to challenge over 1f out, one pace under pressure final furlong, 3rd of 11, 4l behind Bartercard (10-8) at Plumpton 2m 2f nhf (6) gf in May.
Raki Rose 100-1 (10-5) Chased leader to 5th, weakened before 4 out, 5th of 13, 25l behind Toemac (10-12) at Plumpton 2m 5f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Oct.
Thai Vango (IRE) 5-6fav (11-0) Led, held over 3f out, soon ridden and beaten, 2nd of 12, 23l behind Double Eagle (10-11) at Carlisle 2m 1f nhf (6) sft in Oct.
The Beaming Bandit (IRE) 25-1 (11-4) Always behind, tailed off final 5f, 7th of 9, well behind Battlecry (10-11) at Worcester 2m nhf (6) gs in Oct.
Miss Domino 100-1 (10-11) Chased leaders, lost place after 4th, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Sonnengold (11-2) at Lingfield 2m mrs nov hdl (4) hvy in Feb, 14 ran.