Racecards
15:40 Lingfield Park
Betdaq Churchill Stakes (listed) (Class 1)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 1m 2f
- Going: Standard
- Surface: Polytrack
- £40,000 added
- Form 1-11212
- Age 5
- Weight 9-10
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer L M Cumani
- Jockey Kieren Fallon
slowly away, held up in rear, well off the pace, pushed along over 2f out, kept on to take 2nd final strides, too much to do
- Form 15-1373
- Age 5
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 112
- Trainer Sir H R A Cecil
- Jockey T P Queally
held up mid-division, improved to 3rd over 3f out, led approaching 2f out and stole a march on rivals, soon clear, ridden out
- Form 968421
- Age 5
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 82
- Trainer G A Butler
- Jockey J M O'Dwyer
soon led, clear 7f out, ridden and headed approaching 2f out, kept on one pace from over 1f out
- Form 0-D8503
- Age 4
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer P & O Cole
- Jockey N Callan
in rear, well off the pace, ridden over 2f out, no impression
- Form 006664
- Age 7
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 82
- Trainer A G Foster
- Jockey R Winston
tracked leaders, ridden and weakened over 3f out
- Form 221352
- Age 6
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 109
in rear, well off the pace, ridden 2f out, kept on final furlong, too much to do
- Form 081243
- Age 3
- Weight 8-12
- Official Rating 101
- Trainer G A Butler
- Jockey J P Spencer
slowly away, in rear, well off the pace, ridden and hung left over 1f out, never a factor
- Form 225511
- Age 3
- Weight 8-7
- Official Rating 86
- Trainer D Haydn Jones
- Jockey M Dwyer
tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
PRESVIS has to give plenty of weight to all of his rivals but Luca Cumani's gelding has done nothing but improve as his career has progressed and he can land the finale ahead of Tranquil Tiger and Suits Me. Keiren Fallon's mount was last out in May when narrowly failing to land what would've been a second Group 1 and that is just one of several pieces of form that suggest he can successfully defy top weight. It is also noteworthy that the horse returned from a four-month break to win at Nad al sheeba back in January, a performance that suggested the horse can go well when fresh and fitness should really be the only thing stopping Presvis here. This does represent the animal's first try on the all-weather but it's fair to say connections would not be taking in this listed affair were they not confident of the horse's ability to act on the track and we'll bank on him doing so as well. Tranquil Tiger is officially rated the second best horse in the race and whilst that standard is some way short of that set by the likely favourite it does reflect the fact that Henry Cecil's horse is a solid performer for this level. Indeed, the mount of Tom Queally landed a listed race on his seasonal debut back in May before struggling and can go well here with a break hopefully having helped freshen the horse up. As with our selection the five-year-old is making his all-weather debut today but is bred to go on the surface and may take some pegging back if being bounced out in customary fashion. Suits Me is probably a better horse on the all-weather than he is on the turf and took a listed race here back in February. That victory ahead of fellow all-weather specialist Dansant showed the horse can be effective at this level but the feeling is that this is no ordinary listed race and Tom Tate's gelding may have to fill a supporting role here. Of the others Plum Pudding has had a cracking season and has placed on the polytrack before whilst General Elliott was not far behind him last time, but we will select Presvis as our confident selection to make class tell in the last.
Formwatch
Presvis (8-13) 2nd of 12, nk behind Gloria De Campeao (8-13) at Kranji(SNG) 1m 2f Grp 1 gd in May.
Tranquil Tiger 11-10 (9-7) Slowly into stride, soon tracked leaders, ridden 3f out, found nil, 3rd of 4, 9l behind Firebet (8-8) at Epsom Downs 1m 2f con stks (3) gd in Aug.
Beauchamp Viceroy 5-1 (9-4) Made virtually all, hard ridden final furlong, held on gamely near finish, all out, won at Kempton 1m hcp 0-80 (4) pol in Oct beating Indy Driver (9-3) by hd, 10 ran.
General Eliott (IRE) 18-1 (8-10) Held up, raced keenly, came centre over 4f out and took closer order, ridden over 2f out, stayed on to go 3rd inside final furlong, 3rd of 7, 3 1/2l behind Alexandros (8-10) at Nottingham 1m cond Stakes (2) sft.
Lucky Dance (BRZ) 16-1 (8-7) Tracked leaders, ridden to challenge over 2f out, stayed on one pace inside final furlong, 4th of 11, 7l behind Secrecy (9-6) at Newmarket 1m hcp 105 (2) gd in Oct.
Plum Pudding (IRE) 9-1 (9-4) Led, came centre over 4f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, kept on, outclassed by winner, 2nd of 7, 2 1/2l behind Alexandros (8-10) at Nottingham 1m cond Stakes (2) sft.
Suits Me 25-1 (9-3) Soon led, headed over 3f out, weakened over 1f out, last of 6, 10l behind Laaheb (8-12) at Newmarket 1m 2f Listed stks (1) gd in Oct.
Beauchamp Xerxes 7-2 (8-11) Held up in rear, headway over 4f out, no extra inside final furlong, 3rd of 5, 4l behind Once More Dubai (9-3) at Kempton 1m 4f listed stks (1) pol.
Tinshu (IRE) 5-1 (8-10) Tracked leaders, quickened to lead over 1f out, ridden and hung right final furlong, ran on, won at Lingfield 1m 2f Fillies Handicap (0-90) (3yo) (3) pol beating Badiat Alzaman (9-2) by 1/2l, 7 ran.