Saturday 18th January 2020





I'm back! It's been a while since my last post on here, starting a new job meant in October meant I haven't had much time for racing over the last few months, hence the long absence on the blog. I've settled in nicely now though and I've managed to find the time for racing recently and it's been going well so thought I would start sharing my selections again, a couple of bets on the sand at Lingfield to kick off a new decade for the blog.


13:00 Lingfield

It's no secret how well Adam Kirby rides the track here at Lingfield and his presence on board Pactolus will be enough for some to side with Stuart Williams' charge. But it would be a concern to me that this is his 75th career start and this will be the first time he has ever tried this trip, he has looked best over a mile and hasn't shaped as though this is what he wants.

As I write this Kyllachy Gala has opened up as short price favourite and I think 2/1 is an absolutely bonkers price for a horse who is stepping up markedly in grade today. He may have won well last time but it certainly wasn't missed by the handicapper who raised him 6lb and that was a 0-85 Class 4, he now steps back up into a 0-105 Class 2 handicap off this higher mark. Not for me thanks.

Given how freely he raced in the early stages over course and distance last time, it was impressive that Furzig saw out the trip and finished with his head in front. That was his first try at 1m4f after shaping like he needed the step up over shorter trips twice before, he only beat Original Choice by a neck on the day but shaped as though he was capable of better still. He's only been raised 2lb for that success and looks worth a small bet on the day.

 Creationist is another who is unexposed but having raced over distances ranging from 1m to 1m6f in his last 5 starts it seems connection are still trying to figure out his optimum distance.

Furzig 9/2 - 1 Point Win


15:20 Lingfield

 In an open contest the speculative shout here goes to Madrinho. Tony Carroll's gelding slid down the weights towards the end of last season, which can mainly be attributed to the ground being softer than ideal for him. That tumble in the ratings means that he comes here off a 10lb lower mark than when he was last seen on the all-weather, when finishing an unlucky third at Kempton in a class 4 contest. Having won off marks as high as 76 in the past, he finds himself lurking off a dangerous looking 67 in this class 5 contest.

Fitness has to be taken on trust as he is returning from a 108 day absence, but if he can even get close to the level as the last time we saw him on the all-weather he could take some stopping under talented apprentice Sean Davis. Given the selections tendency to find traffic problems, it would be sensible to make this an each-way selection here at decent odds.

Madrinho 16/1 - 0.5 Points Each-Way


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