BROWNING has the right sort of ammunition to gun down his rivals at Lingfield, this afternoon's sole surviving meeting following yesterday's abandonment of the other two scheduled fixtures at flood-hit Sedgefield and Huntingdon.
The Marcus Tregoning-trained front-running five-year-old could not have been more fortunate with the draw, having pulled the treasured number one stall out of the hat.
In such a big field (3.20) it's essential to steer clear of the kick-back, especially as the first left-hand bend comes so soon after the gates open.
Bearing those tactics in mind it is pretty safe to assume that jockey Martin Dwyer will make full use of Browning's guaranteed early pace in order to snatch pole position on the highly advantageous far side rail.
Admittedly the same scenario favoured the selection when he was well beaten into sixth spot at the track 15 days ago, but he didn't seem to get home over a mile-and-a-half.
Now switched back to what looks like his optimum trip of ten furlongs, Browning has the ideal opportunity to end a losing run stretching back to 1998.
Wilton, Love Diamonds, and Fusul are without doubt extremely close-matched for the opening Contact Marketing Apprentice Handicap.
All three have won previously on the equitrack, as well as proving their respective well-being by making the frame recently. On current available evidence I just give Fusul (12.20) the nod by virtue off his encouraging second to Fife And Drum.
Baron de Pichon (1.50) has already raced on both sides of the Atlantic during a relatively short career to date.
He didn't have much luck Stateside but has already won for Karl Burke at Wolverhampton and Southwell since returning to these shores earlier this season.
Burke unfortunatey lost Baron de Pichon in September when claimed by Andrew Reid for £8,000. But Reid is well known for getting the best out of horses imported from other stables, boding strongly for the chances of his new inmate in division one of the Christmas Nights Claiming Stakes.
The unpredictable Diamond Rachael (3.50) outfoxed form students by springing a 20-1 surprise on her latest outing at Wolverhampton.
Norma Macauley's filly will not start at such rewarding odds for the closing Ladbroke Trophy Handicap, although she could still go off at around 10-1.
If she does happen to be in the mood again, the improving three-year-old is perfectly capable of bagging her second race in succession on the sand
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