John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Friday.
Three points of interest
Generations clash in interesting maiden at Lingfield
On a card of otherwise ordinary handicaps at Lingfield, the mile and a quarter maiden (12:45) looks an interesting contest with a trio of three-year-olds taking on older rivals. Of the younger generation, the pair of colts with experience both needing taking seriously.
Godolphin gelding Tribal Act made a very eye-catching debut for Charlie Appleby in a similar event at Kempton last month when fifth behind more experienced stablemate Aegean Prince, gradually getting the hang of things as the race wore on and finishing off well under a hands-and-heels ride after running green as well as meeting some trouble in running. He earned Timeform’s ‘large P’ symbol for that run, indicating he has the potential to do considerably better.
Charlie Johnston’s stable has started the year in good form with four winners already and his runner Pride of Donegal is bred to be well suited by the step up in trip. He made the frame in a couple of novices on the all-weather in November over a mile, but he’s out of the high-class French mare Pride who won the Champion Stakes among other good races and came within a neck of winning the Arc so is entitled to do better over the extra couple of furlongs here.
As one of the four-year-olds, Plage de Havre has to give plenty of weight to his younger rivals but he too comes from a stable in form and Andrew Balding’s lightly-raced gelding has shown more than enough ability to win a race. He bumped into above-average types when runner-up in both his starts in novices late last year, notably when chasing home Tribal Act’s stablemate By The Book who looked potentially smart when winning by four lengths at Chelmsford last time. Plage de Havre made the running in both races and similar tactics could mean he’ll prove hard to peg back this time.
Thapa VC looks best of course-and-distance winners
Of the nine runners in Lingfield’s seven-furlong handicap (13:45), five of them are course-and-distance winners and the finish could well involve some of those from that group of runners.
Bell Shot comes into that category and gained his course-and-distance win from the front last March on his stable debut for Mick Appleby. Also successful at Beverley last summer, the consistent Bell Shot held his form well throughout 2024 and ran another good race over Lingfield’s seven furlongs last month when beaten a length into fourth after again trying to make all.
He’s entitled to go close again but this could be fought out by Thapa VC and Monsieur Beaulieu, two more course-and-distance winners, who are closely matched on their running at Lingfield on New Year’s Eve. The latter ended 2024 in good form on the all-weather for Nick Littmoden following his trainer’s return from a four-year spell in France and Monsieur Beaulieu won his first race in Britain when a five-length winner over course and distance at the beginning of December.
Monsieur Beaulieu ran well again last time despite a poor draw but came off worst in a three-way finish behind Batal Dubai and Thapa VC. Successful in the same race for Mark Rimell twelve months earlier, Thapa VC went very closing to landing it again but ended up with a fraction too much to do after a sluggish start before finishing well to be beaten a head. A strong-travelling hold-up horse, Thapa VC is fancied to come out on top of fellow course-and-distance winners Monsieur Beaulieu and Bell Shot if getting the breaks this time.
King of The Jungle to benefit from rider’s experience
There are eight runners in the second division of Newcastle’s six-furlong handicap for amateur jockeys (19:15). All bar one of the riders involved have only a handful of winners at most to their name on the Flat but the notable exception is Serena Brotherton who can boast more wins than all her rivals put together and holds the record for the most wins under Rules as a female amateur in Britain.
Brotherton will be bidding to make this her 27th consecutive year of riding winners, and at the age of 53 last season landed two of the biggest prizes for lady amateurs on Lord Melbourne at York and Terries Royale at Ascot. Those wins came for Ralph Beckett and Mick Appleby but it has been a while since Brotherton rode a winner for the yard that has supplied her with more wins than any other, that of Mick, and latterly David, Easterby.
However, she can put that right at Newcastle on the stable’s course winner King of The Jungle. Besides that win this time last year, King of The Jungle was also successful at Catterick and Thirsk later in 2024 and has twice gone close again in recent weeks. On his latest outing in an apprentice handicap here on New Year’s Day over five furlongs, King of The Jungle was caught only on the line by Show Me Show Me while pulling a long way clear of the rest. Off just a pound higher now, he’s capable of getting his head in front again.
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