Friday 21st January 2022
Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)
A warm welcome to this Friday preview where I’ll be getting stuck into the action at Lingfield where they have a cracking afternoon of National Hunt racing set to take place. A quick look back at what’s been happening on the site throughout the week, on our Facebook page I’ve been tipping specific meetings day by day and winners have been had, so I hope some of you have managed to bag a few quid. On Thursday we had a winning NAP at Wincanton at 11/4 as well as another 4/1 winner, and a 12/1 place on the day. There’s been several other winners throughout the week as well, including a 7/1 shot in Ireland on Monday.
I’ll be sharing my opinions throughout the card at Lingfield though here. As ever, don’t feel like you have to punt on all of them, or any of them for that matter. Just enjoy the action and if you are having a punt do it responsibly.
Enjoy!
– Jordan
The first race of the day is the 12:50 which is a Mares’ Novice Hurdle over two miles. This race features two horses that I’ve been really impressed with this season, and one in particular has developed into one of my favourite’s of the campaign, and that’s who I’m siding with here. This is the Paul Nicholls’ trained Rainyday Woman who’s the mount of Harry Cobden, trading at 9/4. She’s a very likable mare who’s won three in a row throughout December, culminating with a three-length success within listed company last time out. She probably faces a tougher assignment here than she did that day, but I can’t abandon her now so she’s the one for me. Nurse Susan is the other horse I really like, she’ll be a big danger for the Skeltons.
There’s more Mares’ action at 1:20 with a Novices’ Handicap Chase over two miles and four furlongs. I like the chances of Belle De Manech here at 11/2 for Anthony Honeyball. Set to be ridden by Rex Dingle in this competitive looking affair, she was extremely impressive on chasing debut when bolting up by 14 lengths. She posted a respectable effort when fourth in open company last time and if progressing from that here she’s got to be considered as a big player.
Moving onto the 1:50 now which is a Class 2 Handicap Chase over two miles. In this particular affair, I’m siding with Frero Banbou who’s the second favourite here at 3/1 for Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch. I actually put him up on here when he last ran which was at Cheltenham and he finished third of eight behind Editeur Du Gite. That was one of several tough handicaps he’d been competing in as of late, and he’s ran a solid race in pretty much all of them. These waters are slightly calmer though and he’s also only a seven-year-old so there could yet be more to come from him.
The 2:25 is the Cazoo Hurdle which is competed over a distance of two miles and seven furlongs. This is a real trappy affair, of which I’ve sided with Nicky Henderson’s On The Blind Side at 7/4 who’s the mount of Nico de Boinville. He’s been highly tried within graded company and whilst he’s found it too hot on several occasions, he’s still a classy and smart stayer on his day. I think he could just have a class edge on these. Calva D’Auge looks his main danger.
We go to the 3:00 now which is a Novices’ Chase over two miles and seven and a half furlongs. This is another competitive affair, but I think Broken Halo could be the answer for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden at 5/2. He’s made a fine start to life over fences, finishing third on chasing debut on his penultimate outing before bolting up by the best part of nineteen lengths within novice company last time out. I think he could prove to have a bit more to offer than some of these so I’ll chance him progressing further.
It’s the 3:35 next which is a Class 2 Handicap Hurdle over two miles. It’s one of my ‘horses to follow” that I’ve sided with here which is Metier at 3/1 for Harry Fry and Sean Bowen. He was a Grade 1 winning novice hurdler last season when claiming the Tolworth, but hasn’t been the same since. He was down the field in the Supreme at Cheltenham and was then pulled up on his first run of this season. However, on his most recent run in a Grade 3 at Ascot he showed he still retains ability when finishing fourth of twelve and if building on that here he’s got more than enough class to play a serious role.
Concluding the day’s action and my preview is the 4:08 which is a Handicap Chase over two miles and four furlongs. Neil The Legend and Chambard arrive here in winning form and set the standard at the top of the betting, however, I’m taking on them and I’ve done that with Tile Tapper at 11/2 for Chris Honour and David Noonan. He’s been readily outclassed at a high-level on numerous occasions over hurdles, however, was a distant third of seven in the Tolworth behind Metier last season. On chasing debut he finished fourth of eight, 24 lengths behind the winner, however, it’s very likely he could build on that and I think there’s a chance that off this mark he could prove to be well handicapped.
Everything Racing 