BOY THE BELL can come of age in the Hospitality At Southwell Racecourse Rating Related Maiden Stakes at the Nottinghamshire track.
Jamie Osborne’s charge is less exposed than most of these rivals, having had just three runs. A quiet debut was followed by a third at Wolverhampton, before he finished second at Southwell.
He is now eligible for handicaps but Osborne obviously believes there is a race in him.
Paul Howling’s veteran Obe Gold got going all too late at Southwell on Tuesday but still managed to finish second to a decent yardstick in Elusive Warrior. The southwell-racecourse.co.uk Selling Stakes looks a weaker race and he should oblige.
Mark Johnston had a record year in 2009 and nothing has changed for the Middleham handler in the early days of 2010, with his handful of runners having all finished in the frame.
Johnston runs Luberon in the feature race at Lingfield on Friday, the lingfieldpark.
co.uk Handicap with over £10,000 to the winner.
Now a seven-year-old, he has been an old favourite at the yard for some time.
A capable performer at his best, Luberon may not quite be the force of old but there are certainly races to be won with him. He has won Group races in the past but like so many of Johnston’s horses, the handicapper has taken his time to relent.
Do not be fooled into thinking he only ran twice last year though, as he was running on the snow at St Moritz so the Arctic conditions will be nothing new to him.
He has had a pipe-opener for this at Southwell, where it can be assumed he was not suited by the track. But with the yard in such good form, a bold bid looks assured.
Alfie Tupper was denied at Lingfield on Saturday and is taken to go one better in the View Our 2010 Fixtures At lingfieldpark.co.uk Handicap.
Jim Boyle’s charge is now down to 61 and looks capable, having shown more enthusiasm last time out. Boyle can notch a double with the prolific Wunder Strike, who is taken to defy a penalty in the lingfieldpark.co.uk Apprentice Handicap.
Nathan Alison comes in for the ride to offset some of the penalty, but it looked like Wunder Strike won last time and he can bring up a fivetimer.
Kevin Ryan’s Arganil has a fantastic record on the allweather and should take the beating in Wolverhampton’s betdaq.co.uk Conditions Stakes.
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