It’s All Weather Championships Final Day at Lingfield on Friday and the ITV racing team brings us most of the action on a day to look forward to. It’s been building up to this for many of these all-weather performers all winter and this is the equivalent of the Derby for most of these horses.
Lingfield
Marathon Stakes
Amade comes here seeking a six-timer and has looked impressive on both his starts in the UK. On the face of it, he looks the one to beat here with Christophe Soumillon making the trip over for the ride.
Mark Johnston runs Watersmeet who is one of the most consistent stayers in training. He was third in this race last season and although wins have been hard to come by of late, he’s a solid yardstick and could sneak into the places.
Frankie partners up with Grey Britain who’s always shown plenty of ability. He was a course and distance winner at the start of February but it’s been disappointing that he’s been beaten on his two subsequent. I think he needs to improve to feature.
Of the others, Aircraft Carrier and Spark Plug shouldn’t be underestimated.
Selection: Amade
Fillies’ & Mares’ Stakes
The booking of Ryan Moore on Heavenly Holly is very interesting, she was beaten less than a length in a listed event in France when seeking a hat-trick. She is having her first start of the season but must enter calculations.
Andrew Balding is represented by Crossing The Line who’s got very attractive form figures to her name. She runs here having won four of her last five stars and although she needs to improve to win, she’s won her only start at the track and should go well.
Island Of Life heads the market in this but I’d be more than happy to take her on, given that she has yet to win over this far. She has won four times but I don’t see her getting him in this competitive event.
Selection: Heavenly Holy
Sprint Stakes
Kachy looks the standout performer here having finished runner-up in the race last season. Tom Dascombe’s charge has won his last two starts since getting a wind-op and he’ll be tough to bet.
David Marnane does well when sending horses across the Irish Sea, which was highlighted by Settle For Bay’s victory at Royal Ascot. Alfredo Arcano represents the yard here and has been in great form of late by running well in Meydan and then winning back on home turf in Dundalk. He needs to improve to win but is a smart sprinter and shouldn’t be underestimated.
Encore D’or seems to always run his race but was poor at listed level when last seen. Prior to that, he had been a nice winner of a fast track qualifier and if he reproduces that run, he could go close.
Of the others, Encrypted looks like a nice horse and was a good winner of a listed race mot recently.
Selection: Alfredo Arcano -E/W
3 Year Old Stakes
Concierge won a qualifier back in October before being shipped to Doha for two runs by George Scott. The drop down in trip should suit him as he was probably a non-stayer on his last run over a mile. He’ll need to improve to win but it’s not out of the question.
Richard Fahey runs Charming Kid here who’s quite lightly raced and was a snug winner on the all-weather at Dundalk most recently. All of his runs have come over 6 furlongs, so the trip suits and he holds leading claims.
The most likely winner is Deep Intrigue who is bred for speed seeing as he’s by Dark Angel out of a Dandy Man mare. He’s 3-5 on the all-weather and came up just short in a listed race over slightly further last month.
Selection: Deep Intrigue
Easter Classic
Wissahickon
Wissahickon is an absolute winning machine and there is no need to look past him here. John Gosden’s charge is 6-7 on the all-weather and has been very impressive winning his last three starts on the track. Frankie steered him to win the Cambridgeshire last season and I can’t see him getting beaten.
Of the others, I think Matterhorn who is 6-8 on the all-weather will follow the favourite home but in all reality shouldn’t be good enough to make him sweat.
Selection: Wissahickon
All-Weather Mile
Oh This Is Us ran well in handicap and Group company last season. Richard Hannon’s charge is already a course and distance winner this season but will have to put a poor run behind him if he he’s to win.
Straight Right is 5-10 on the all-weather but three of these defeats have come in his last three starts. He’s still be running quite will but will need to find further improvement if he’s to make it 6 wins.
The horse I quite like is Keyser Soze who is chasing the four-timer in this. This will be his biggest test as he’s rated 8-pounds inferior to Oh This Is Us but is on a real upward curve and is a horse to follow.
David Barron runs the likable Above The Rest who ran two fine races at Meydan recently before winning a fast track qualifier at Wolverhampton when last seen. He’s a;ways been a classy individual and he shouldn’t be underestimated.
Selection: Keyser Soze
