14:15 Lingfield

Monday 18 February 2019

All13:4514:1514:4515:1515:5016:2516:55

freetipsatlingfield.co.uk Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:17 | Winning time: 4m 14.4s

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Selected odds by:

Alrightjack⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden

4/1

Won at Bumper at Fontwell in November, building on a couple of previous efforts with a smooth win. Not so effective when well backed on hurdles debut last time though. The experience will have done his good but now needs to find more.

Form: 3-518

Dessie's Diamond⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Burke| T: D J Coakley| OR: 117

10/1

Best effort so far when fourth in a voided race at Southwell but regressive last time. Plenty to prove at the present time.

Form: 33645

Smiths Cross⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Brendan Powell| T: M Scudamore| OR: 127| BF| D

2/5

Making good progress through the ranks - won a point-to-point, a bumper and finished a close second over hurdles last time out. Going the right way and ought to relish the predicted state of the ground.

Form: 3112-22

Test Ride³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland

100/1

Hurdles form has been poor so far and the gelding, having finished tailed off the last twice, has a lot to prove at present.

Form: 80-6807

Topofthecotswolds^h¹³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Jamie Bargary| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

8/1

Form figures read well and going the right way. This will be the softest ground he'll have raced on so far, which does create an element of doubt. The betting can guide here.

Form: 325-22

Lace Bonnet⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: T J O'Brien| T: Christian Williams

66/1

Rated just 56 at her best on the Flat in Ireland and the mare has shown little promise that she can turn things around now she's tackling hurdles. Others hold much more convincing claims.

Form: 90F

Given Name³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Kevin Jones⁽³⁾| T: J W Mullins

100/1

Posted three poor efforts on the Flat for Richard Hannon and it was much the same on his hurdling/stable debut last month at Plumpton. Hard to recommend as one to follow at this stage.

Form: 6

Karakoram³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: L Heard| T: G Harris| OR: 119

9/1

Latest effort, when third behind a couple of much higher rated individuals than he faces here, reads very respectably. Needs to prove that wasn't a flash-in-the-pan but can go close if capable of running to the same level this time.

Form: 573

Playa Blanca³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: James Best| T: J W Mullins| OR: 108

16/1

A maiden under both codes and was average at best on the Flat in Ireland. Posted a reasonable effort over C&D last time but lacks consistency and is another that needs dig a little deeper than he has of late.

Form: 773

Forecasts

Smiths Cross (2/5), Alrightjack (4/1), Topofthecotswolds (8/1), Karakoram (9/1), Dessie's Diamond (10/1), Playa Blanca (16/1), Lace Bonnet (66/1), Given Name (100/1), Test Ride (100/1)

The progressive SMITHS CROSS looks the safest option in an ordinary maiden hurdle. Alrightjack was well supported last time out but didn't quite fire on all cylinders. This is a weaker race, so he may be up to redeeming himself. Karakoram is exposed as ordinary but did run well last time and can make the frame of in a similar frame of mind here. Support for Topofthecotswolds would also be interesting to note.