COPPINGTON FLYER (12.45) makes a quick-fire return to action at Lingfield this afternoon having scored over course and distance on Saturday.

"She's a really tough and genuine filly," reported trainer Brendan Duke after the three-year-old had provided him with his first ever winner on the Flat.

Duke is based at Lambourn where he's held a licence for 15 months. But that is only part of the story because for much of the previous 21 years he had worked for the Irish wizard Jim Bolger.

Part of Bolger's magic has clearly rubbed off on Brendan since Coppington Flyer appeared to be distinctly average when she first started racing. However, he has persisted and the filly seems to have quite a bright future now she has got the hang of winging round the Polytrack.

In fact her "hold-up" style is perfect for the surface, which favours horses coming a late run rather blazing a trail from the front. And there are few better exponents of those tactics at present than the selection's rider, Frankie McDonald, the new sensation emerging from the apprentice' ranks.

McDonald, who is still entitled to claim the full 7lb weight allowance from the senior jockeys, rode a brilliant race on Coppington Flyer at the weekend, biding his time before producing her to cut down a useful field in the closing stages.

Admittedly they've got a 6lb penalty to defy in the seven furlong Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap, nevertheless she could be improving at such a rate of knots that the extra weight will not stop her making it two-in-a-row.

Last season's champion apprentice, Paul Hannagan, has benefited greatly from the guidance given to him by his guv'nor, Richard Fahey.

Fahey provides plenty of Hannagan's ammunition and the pair team up for a likely winner with Altay (2.15) in the mile-and-five-furlong Handicap.

Up until now the farthest that Altay has won over on the Flat is ten furlongs, however, at Musselburgh in November he ran away with a two mile novices' hurdle, suggesting that as he gets older, his reserves of stamina have been considerably enhanced.

Sprinters form the mainstay John Balding's Doncaster yard, in with a terrific shout of taking the betdirect.co.uk Handicap with Justalord (2.45).

Justalord possesses blistering pace and it's not hard to envisage him blowing his rivals clean away given his already excellent sand record over five furlongs.

The closing Paul Woodhouse 21st Birthday Handicap over a mile-and-a-quarter is a truly awful contest.

Such races are occasionally won by big outsiders and if like me you're prepared to chance your arm on the apparently modest Rust En Vrede (3.55), then make sure it's at least an each-way bet.

Rust En Vrede's former trainer Les Eyre was convinced the son of Royal Applause had some ability, an assertion his new handler, the highly-talented Declan Carroll, is about to put to the test.

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