The bonus for the winning owner in the Paddy Power Imperial Cup if their horse can follow up in a race at the Cheltenham Festival is down to £50,000 this year, but Saturday’s feature is still a fascinating and deeply competitive amuse-bouche before the season’s showpiece meeting next week.
Natural History was a winner off 91 on the Flat and made a mockery of his opening mark of 116 at Plumpton last time. He is an obvious favourite for the in-form Gary Moore, but 16lb higher in the weights for a very different test.
Langer Dan and Leoncavallo – not seen out since finishing sixth in the Cesarewitch – are among a host of live contenders but do not overlook the top-weight, Miranda (2.25). The talented Angus Cheleda takes 7lb off her back and her latest Grade Two win at Doncaster was a career-best.
Sandown 1.50 A ferociously competitive heat with at least a dozen plausible winners, but Ocean Drifter had plenty in hand when successful at Southwell last time and, at 14-1, is double the price of runners with a similar chance on the book.
Wolverhampton 2.05 Mums Tipple, a top-notch juvenile in 2019, is an interesting runner after a lacklustre three-year-old campaign, but Documenting is proven over track and trip and was caught a little wide last time.
Wolverhampton 4.40 Man Of The Night has been absent since finishing second in a hot handicap at Newmarket’s July meeting last summer so fitness must be taken on trust but he has a solid chance at around 7-1 on anything close to that form.
Sandown 3.00 A huge field of potential improvers for this valuable Listed bumper for fillies and mares. Flirtatious Girl could be the safest option to continue an excellent season for Kim Bailey and David Bass.
Wolverhampton 3.15 For such a dependable type on the all-weather, it seems odd that Brian The Snail has yet to race at Wolverhampton. His recent first visit to Southwell was a winning one, though, and he remains on a fair mark on that form.
Sandown 3.35 High Up In The Air will be popular going for a six-timer but he is now 35lb higher in the weights than for the first of those wins in November and his latest 9lb hike could be enough to stop him. Farinet, who showed plenty to work with on his debut for Venetia Williams, could be the better option.
Lingfield Park
1.53 Merry Secret
2.23 Pure Perfection
2.55 Glasvegas
3.28 Fard
3.58 Copinet
4.33 Albert Camus
5.08 Iconic Belle
Warwick
1.37 Finistere
2.07 Calico
2.37 Pink Legend
3.12 Embole (nb)
3.42 A Time To Shine (nap)
4.15 Looks Like Power
4.50 Bizerta
5.22 Mucho Mas
BHA says Murphy’s return ban delayed by failure to have tests
The British Horseracing Authority said on Friday morning that Oisin Murphy, the champion jockey, had been ruled out of his intended return to action at Lingfield later in the day because he had failed to “complete the necessary tests before a return to riding” at the end of a three-month suspension for testing positive for cocaine in July 2020.
In a statement, the authority said: “Prior to returning to riding from a suspension of this nature, jockeys may be required to complete a course of testing, alongside other requirements, in order for the BHA’s chief medical adviser to confirm their safe return to race riding.”
The statement added that Murphy had contacted the BHA on 22 February regarding an intended return to riding, and “had been reminded of the requirements” by the regulator on 2 March. However, “as of 12 March, Mr Murphy is only part way through his reinstatement testing, and he is therefore unable to ride at this point”.
Murphy said on Twitter on Friday morning that he had been “personally informed by the BHA” at 18.50 on Thursday evening that he will “not be able to partner [three] rides at Lingfield today and [five at] Chelmsford on Saturday”. He claimed the BHA had made an “administrative error”.
In a second tweet, Murphy said: “I’m currently looking into this situation with the BHA and I plan to be back on the racetrack as soon as I possibly can. I apologise profusely to all the owners, trainers and supporters who I’m having to let down at such late notice. It’s 128 days since my last ride in the UK.”
After the BHA had issued their statement, Murphy responded with another post, stating: “Please note I can’t arrange testing personally. Only the BHA have the ability to do so. I’ve been available + completed all the tests thus far.”
Please note I can’t arrange testing personally. Only the BHA have the ability to do so. I’ve been available + completed all the tests thus far. https://t.co/Mt3iSVKBgH
— Oisín Murphy (@oismurphy) March 12, 2021
Murphy’s three booked rides at Lingfield were Rain Gauge (1.30) for James Tate in a novice stakes, Sky Commander (2.05), also for Tate, in a seven-furlong handicap and Sylvester Kirk’s He Can Dance, second favourite for another seven-furlong handicap at 2.40.
Murphy was banned for three months in November after testing positive for cocaine while riding in France in July. What would normally be a six-month suspension for a first positive test for the class A drug was reduced to three months, after a disciplinary panel accepted the Irishman’s explanation that he had been contaminated during sexual contact with a user of the drug and had not used it himself.
9 Oct 2020 Two horses trained by Aidan O’Brien run under each other’s names in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket, including third-placed finisher
23 Nov 2018 “Operational error” forces the withdrawal of Earl Of Bunnacurry from a handicap at Wolverhampton as he will be carrying the wrong weight
23 March 2018 BHA promises action to “minimise risk” of repeat after odds-on favourite incorrectly called as runner-up in photo finish.
14 Jan 2018 Two horses from Ivan Furtado’s stable run in the wrong races at Southwell
27 Jul 2017 Three-year-old Mandarin Princess runs in, and wins, race for juveniles at Yarmouth, beating an odds-on favourite
The 25-year-old is favourite to win the Flat jockeys’ championship for the third year running when the new title race begins in May. He said in a statement after his disciplinary hearing in November: “The next three months will give me much time to reflect on my actions but I will learn from this experience and come back better and even more determined than before.”
