12pm Lingfield jumps meeting gets the all clear to race
Tony Paley: Monday’s jumps meeting at Lingfield was given the go ahead after the track passed a morning inspection. Edward Arkell, the clerk of the course, had planned to check conditions at 8am, but he was able to give the all clear earlier than planned after the areas of waterlogging improved overnight.
He said: “We’re going ahead. We’ve walked the track and seen plenty of improvement from yesterday. We may have to bypass another obstacle but we’re fit for racing.” He gave the going as heavy, soft in places.
Monday’s best bets, by Tony Paley
It’s not often we refer to National Hunt action at Lingfield, where the fixture list is dominated by racing on the all-weather, but the welcome news that Monday’s card passed its inspection means we have novice hurdlers and hunter chasers to fathom and not maiden fillies.
The opening event looks at the mercy of Boru’s Brook (2.15), whose owners the Cheltenham Dreamers may have to settle for a four-grand novice hurdle rather than a trip to the Festival. The selection, a decent bumper, showed he was more than capable at this level when victorious on his hurdling debut at Plumpton on heavy ground. The Jim Best stable is normally one to rely on when the money is down and there has already been support for the selection this morning.
Boru’s Brook will go off at tight odds and that will also be the case for Lessons In Milan (3.50), who should have little difficulty in getting off the mark for Nicky Henderson after his third in a competitive novice hurdle at Ascot on his first outing for the stable. Catchin Time (4.50) has obvious chances of completing a hat-trick in the closing event following his romp at Plumpton last time out.
The AP McCoy ‘farewell tour’ moves on to Carlisle where Rock N Rhythm (2.25) could prove worthy of support in the hands of the champion jockey in the opener on his first run for the Jonjo O’Neill now that the stable is back in peak form. Jonny Eager (2.55) appeals as the best bet on the card on his handicap debut and with the blinkers fitted.
Cheltenham Festival stat of the day
by Paul Jones, author of the Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide published by Weatherbys
Should the red hot Champion Hurdle favourite, Faugheen, go on to justify such market confidence, then he would become just the second horse since Granville Again in 1993 to win having not run in a recognised trial since the turn of the year. Rock On Ruby overcame such an absence three years ago after he finished second in the Christmas Hurdle, which was also the race in which we last saw Faugheen in action, but there have been many leading fancies who have failed in a similar bid. Incidentally, of the last 23 Christmas Hurdle winners to take their chance in the Champion Hurdle, only Kribensis has completed the double.
The Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide is published on February 20th and available via www.weatherbysshop.co.uk or by calling 01933 304776
Tipping competition - a new week
Congratulations to orso, who picked a 10th winner of the week on Friday to finish on +32.92, almost twice the score of BearRides (+16.92), who finished runner-up. Congratulations, orso, we’ll be in touch.
This week’s prize is a copy of The Racing Post’s Cheltenham Festival Guide 2015, which will be printed this week. It promises to be “packed with invaluable advice”, including a race-by-race guide, key trends analysed, details on the Irish challenge, jockeys and trainers to follow and the views of the Post team. It retails at £12.99 and, if you don’t win, you can buy it here.
To kick things off, we’d like your selections, please, for these races: 3.15 Lingfield, 4.00 Carlisle, 4.30 Carlisle.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
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