Lingfield | Horse Racing Free Tips

Storm Eunice Forces Cancellations in UK/Ire

The approach of Storm Eunice, which will impact Ireland and the United Kingdom on Friday, has caused some racecourses to cancel their cards as a precautionary measure. Fakenham was called off on Thursday due to the severe weather warnings, and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has cancelled Dundalk's Friday card, too. The storm is expected to bring high winds and, in some cases, snow.

“We discussed the situation with Jim Martin of Dundalk Stadium and Met Eireann this morning and again this afternoon and we felt with the current forecast for tomorrow it was prudent to make an early decision and cancel the fixture,” said IHRB Clerk of the Course, Brendan Sheridan via Twitter. “Many parts of the country are subject to Orange and Red Weather Warnings in the morning which would make travel unsafe and Met Eireann are also forecasting gusts with speeds in excess of 80km/h during race time.”

Kelso, one of three UK courses still set to race on Friday, will hold an inspection at 8 a.m. on Friday morning.

“We're only a yellow warning at the moment up here and we are getting nothing like the wind speeds down in England,” said clerk of the course Matthew Taylor. “Our concern would be snow more than anything and access to the racecourse maybe and the surrounding areas on high ground if they got heavy snow. We are in a trickier situation than most because it literally is just the waiting game.

“The problem as well is that the forecast is changing by the hour. We were supposed to be getting 10 centimetres of snow and then this afternoon it's changed back to rain so we don't know exactly what we're going to get.”

“We've got an 8 a.m. inspection so hopefully we can make the right call early.”

Lingfield and Southwell are both set to race as of Thursday evening, with Lingfield set to be inspected at 8 a.m. and Southwell, which is expecting 60-70mph winds, due for inspection at 10 a.m.

Kirkland Tellwright, clerk of the course at Haydock, is hoping by Saturday that the storm has weakened in advance of the course's Saturday meeting.

He said, “The main concern has been wind, which would be a problem on a raceday but shouldn't be the day before. There will be a lot of damage to repair, no doubt. Saturday is expected to be blustery, gusts of wind and more rain. Having walked the course a couple of times today, I'm pretty optimistic we'll get through.

“The hurdle course is heavy, soft in places, and is not in a bad place. The chase course is heavy, and very heavy in one or two places so we might be bypassing them. I've taken the second fence out in the back straight mainly as a precaution because it gives us more options in terms on how we get past that location.”

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‘Dream Come True’: Two-Time Pony Racing Champion Harry Davies Enjoys Flying Start To Professional Jockey Career

Berkshire-based Harry Davies has had a flying start to his career as a jockey, at just 17-years-old he took two wins from four rides in his first week of riding against the professionals.

No stranger to success, Davies previously achieved 28 wins on the Pony Racing circuit and was crowned winner of the Charles Owen Racecourse Series in 2018 and 2019. Now he has moved up into the horse racing ranks and has quickly proven his immense talent.

He had his first ride at Southwell on Jan. 11 and quickly bounced back from his sixth position finish to find a winner a Lingfield with Coolagh Magic in the same week. Not resting on his laurels of enjoying his maiden win, Davies secured another victory three days later at Wolverhampton.

Speaking on his first win, Davies said: “I thought on the day the horse had a chance of going close. My instructions were to come late and thought I had left it too late, but he did it. When I pulled up, I thought I'd won but I wasn't completely sure, I just had to get back in one piece and wait for the tannoy. It was a really great atmosphere on the day and it was nice to have my mum and step-dad there.”

The two-time Pony Racing champion appears destined for success, coming from strong racing roots combined with his own passion and determination. His father Stephen was Champion Apprentice jockey in 1994 while working for the great Sir Henry Cecil's yard and his mother Angie works as assistant trainer at Palmer's Newmarket stable.

The 17-year-old now rides at the famed Andrew Balding stable, Kingsclere, that has been integral in launching the career of racing stars such as Oisin Murphy, William Buick and David Probert, but none of these top flat jockeys can say they had their first win from only their second ride.

Davies continued: “Training is going really well, the whole team is so supportive, and Andrew [Balding] is very easy to work for. He understands my goals and what I want to achieve as well as what we want to achieve together. Even if I don't ride a winner that day, I'll come back and the other lads are there to lend a helping hand.

“I first started coming to Andrew's [Balding] at 12-years-old and try to show my face whenever I could, I would try to come down in the summer holiday and I really devoted all my time to being at Kingsclere. In my final year of pony racing I'd ridden out for Andrew a few times and I was ready to make the move [to horse racing].

Commenting on making the step up, Davies added: “One of the differences from pony racing is that the professionals are harder to race against. You have to race a lot tighter, have to be sharper and on your toes. You have to prepare by watching racing as much as can when you're not racing, really watch and pick it apart. Watch the top riders and think, why are they doing that? And try to learn. You can't overthink when you're in the [race] situation, you need to go with your gut and trust yourself.”

Davies will still ride with a 7lb allowance for his next 18 winners but has made an impressive start to his apprentice jockey career.

He returned to Lingfield on Saturday for the inaugural Winter Million where he raced against top jockeys such as Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle.

Davies added: “They [Marquand and Doyle] are both obviously massive figures in the racing world. They both came from pony racing as well and they are where I want to be.

“Racing against them is great because you can learn so much. I saw Tom in the weighing room the other day and asked him to watch a race back with me and I learnt so much- it's a dream come true.”

Davies will look to continue his outstanding start to life against the pros, which equates to two wins from seven rides, on Wednesday at Kempton Park in the Unibet Extra Place Offers Every Day Fillies' Handicap (7pm), where he will ride the Archie Watson-trained Notoriously Risky.

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Half to Advertise Starts at Lingfield

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a half-sister to triple Group 1 winner Advertise (GB).

2.30 Lingfield, Novice, £7,000, 2yo, f, 8f (AWT)
SYLVIA BEACH (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) represents the Cheveley Park Stud-John and Thady Gosden combination and is a half-sister to the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, G1 Commonwealth Cup and G1 Phoenix S.-winning sire Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). A descendant of the high-class Heart of Joy (Lypheor {GB}), the March-foaled bay encounters the similarly-unraced Angel's Point (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's 260,000gns Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 purchase who is an Andrew Balding-trained half-sister to the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. runner-up I Can Fly (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).

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Group 1 Winner Pyledrive To Prep For Hong Kong In Saturday’s All-Weather Churchill Stakes

Pyledriver is the headline act in a quality renewal of the Listed Betway Churchill Stakes at Lingfield Park on Saturday, Nov. 13, one of two Fast-Track Qualifiers on the card.

The popular 4-year-old reappears for William Muir & Chris Grassick having been sidelined since registering a first Group 1 success in the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs in June, for which he must concede a 7lb penalty to his nine rivals.

Pyledriver is the 7/4 favorite with Betway as he prepares for a foray to Hong Kong next month, with the Marco Botti-trained Felix next in at 4/1. Felix was second in the G3 Betway Winter Derby over the course and distance in February prior to an excellent third behind Lord North in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan on Dubai World Cup Night.

David Loughnane is hoping last year's winner Dubai Warrior can rediscover his best form after finishing last on his debut for the stable in the G3 Diamond Stakes at Dundalk in September. Previously trained by John Gosden, Dubai Warrior captured this race impressively 12 months ago as well as the 2020 Betway Winter Derby.

Loughnane said: “Dubai Warrior disappointed us first time out at Dundalk. He has been in good form since and needs to take a step back in the right direction.

“We have gone for the eye shields. He has tried them on at home and they seem to have benefited him. We can probably ride him a bit differently – get him to relax – and hopefully he can finish off strongly.”

A classy line up also includes the Andrew Balding-trained Fox Tal. The five-year-old was fourth in the 2019 G1 Champion Stakes and ran one of his best races this year on the All-Weather when a close third in the G3 September Stakes at Kempton Park.

John & Thady Gosden have two contenders in Doncaster conditions race winner Harrovian and Kestenna, who steps up in trip after finishing fifth in the Listed Coral EBF Fleur De Lys Fillies' Stakes at the track last month.

Unexposed 3-year-old Cu Chulainn moves up in class after winning a Kempton Park novice race on his second start. Three-time All-Weather winner Via Serendipity, Dalanijujo and Quemonda complete the field.

The winner of the 10-furlong Betway Churchill Stakes will be guaranteed a start in the £200,000 Betway Easter Classic over the same distance at Newcastle on Finals Day.

Betway Churchill Stakes – Betway prices:
7/4 Pyledriver
4/1 Felix
5/1 Harrovian
15/2 Fox Tal
9/1 Via Serendipity
12/1 Cu Chulainn
16/1 Dubai Warrior, Kestenna
20/1 Dalanijujo
40/1 Quemondo
Each-way 1/5 1,2,3

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A place on Finals Day is also up for grabs in the Listed Betway Golden Rose Stakes over six furlongs, a Fast-Track Qualifier for the £150,000 Betway All-Weather Sprint Championships.

All eyes will be on Mark Johnston's runner The Last Lion as he returns from a 1,876-day absence following fertility issues at stud. Now a 7-year-old, The Last Lion was last seen out in the G1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket in 2016, when he defeated future champion sprinter Blue Point to give jockey Joe Fanning a first Group 1 victory.

A closely matched field of 12 also includes the last two winners of the Betway Golden Rose Stakes in Good Effort and Judicial, trained by Ismail Mohammed and Julie Camacho respectively.

Exalted Angel posted successive career-best performances over the course and distance last season, taking out the Listed Betway Kachy Stakes in February before going down by a head to Summerghand in the Betway All-Weather Sprint Championships on Finals Day.

Trainer Karl Burke said: “Exalted Angel is really well after a summer break and has been working nicely.

“He clearly handles the track well having put up to good performances at Lingfield last season – it's just a question of whether he is wound up enough to repeat those performances. I am not quite convinced, but he should run well all the same.

“We have saved him for another All-Weather campaign and the main aim is to get him qualified for Finals Day. The fact the final is now at Newcastle is not a problem because he has run well there before.”

There is an international element courtesy of Irish raider Harry's Bar, who is a three-time winner at Dundalk for Ado McGuinness, and Manjeer for French handler Carina Fey.

Misty Grey, a close third behind Exalted Angel in the Betway Kachy Stakes on his latest start, and lightly raced three-year-old Bahrain Pride are other contenders to note.

Betway Golden Rose Stakes – Betway prices:
7/2 Good Effort
6/1 Harry's Bar, Misty Grey
8/1 Bahrain Pride, Judicial
9/1 Exalted Angel
10/1 Fivethousandtoone
11/1 Manjeer, The Last Lion
12/1 Soldier's Minute
16/1 Jouska
20/1 Bimble
Each-way 1/5 1,2,3

Betway's Chad Yeomans said: “It looks a fascinating renewal of the Betway Churchill Stakes, with Group 1 winner Pyledriver the horse they all have to beat. He is the 7/4 favorite with us, which could look a big price in hindsight as he's clear on official ratings.

“The Betway Golden Rose Stakes is also fiercely competitive. Last year's winner Good Effort is solid at the head of the market at 7/2. It's also great to see Betway ambassador Andrew Balding sending Fivethousandtoone to the six-furlong contest. Andrew thought he was a Guineas horse at the start of the season, so it's interesting to see him at this level.”

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