There are many cards of interest for the Placepot on Saturday, but with key Classic trials, Lingfield stands out. Joe Napier picks his selections at the track to try and land the Tote’s jackpot.
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Leg 1: 1.15pm
Leg 1 Selections: (6) Esmeray
Recent Windsor winner First Officer may prove popular, but one who stands out on her novice form is the unexposed ESMERAY, who has had just five runs up to this point in her career. Ralph Beckett’s four-year-old followed a third on debut with a neck defeat over this distance at Bath behind a filly now rated in the 90s. She swiftly followed up by winning at Ffos Las and two soft ground defeats in handicaps means she runs here off just 77.
On the basis of her runner-up effort at Bath alone, that rating suggests she will be extremely competitive, and even her handicap losses saw her finish in the frame both times. On a better surface, she should improve to be in the mix come the finish line.
Leg 2: 1.50pm
Leg 2 Selections: (4) If Not Now, (5) Track Of Time
This is tricky, as none of these can be fully trusted to put their best foot forward. Aimeric is the correct favourite with the superior recent form, and promises to go well fresh, but he may also be a horse who decides when he wants to race. If that day is not today, he is risky for Placepot purposes.
Both the selections are too, but IF NOT NOW was fifth in the German Derby and can be forgiven blowing out at Doncaster at the end of the season on soft. A return to sounder going should help as he had looked useful enough previously, while TRACK OF TIME is having his first run in this country since joining Ian Williams from France. He was runner-up at Listed level on the continent last season and if none the worse for his change of scenery, could be primed to go well off his opening British handicap mark.
Leg 3: 2.25pm
Leg 3 Selections: (3) Danielle
The Gosden yard have a good record in this race and the manner in which DANIELLE won at Wetherby last time out was very taking. She had been beaten twice on the all-weather prior to her 12-length romp on soft ground at the Yorkshire venue, but she came up against some useful enough opponents and looks to have progressed well past that level now.
Her dam won on good-to-firm so there should be little reason she wouldn’t take well enough to a sounder surface. She is up against numerous rivals whose latest runs also came on soft or heavy, so she is far from the only one with something to prove in that respect and she looks an exciting Oaks candidate.
Leg 4: 3.00pm
Leg 4 Selections: (5) Illinois
Although he failed to justify odds-on favouritism on his return behind a 50/1 shot, it looks significant that Ryan Moore keeps the faith with ILLINOIS out of the Ballydoyle pair in the Lingfield Derby Trial. Stablemate The Euphrates ran on past him for second in Leopardstown’s Ballysax Stakes, but the heavy ground first time out may not have been ideal and plenty of Aidan O’Brien’s horses have been needing the run.
That comment may also apply to The Euphrates, but Illinois was beaten just a length at Group 1 level as a two-year-old and his pedigree suggests there will be plenty more to come from him soon enough. A sounder surface may be more beneficial to him and he can re-stake his Epsom claims here in a race his yard have an unsurprisingly strong recent history in.
Leg 5: 3.35pm
Leg 5 Selections: (5) Stenton Glider
Remarquee is a short price and worthy favourite here, but there was just a neck between her and STENTON GLIDER the last time the pair met over 7f and neither have ground queries here. As such, the price discrepancy between them looks too great, as even though the selection has not kicked on as much since, she may improve back at this trip having raced exclusively at 1m or further since her Fred Darling meeting with the favourite. She might also have fitness on her side having raced at Meydan over the winter.
Leg 6: 4.10pm
Leg 6 Selections: (5) Madame De Sevigne
Archie Watson’s Inner Temple makes the transition from the all-weather to the turf in good form, but he is worth taking on at the prices until he proves his aptitude for grass. MADAME DE SEVIGNE is the final selection, as she appeared to have improved significantly from her juvenile form when a seriously competitive fourth at Ascot at the start of May. That race could well end up working out form wise and a mark of 77 looks workable for her handicap bow.
Placepot Selections For Lingfield On Saturday 11th May
Leg 1 Selections: (6) Esmeray
Leg 2 Selections: (4) If Not Now, (5) Track Of Time
Leg 3 Selections: (3) Danielle
Leg 4 Selections: (5) Illinois
Leg 5 Selections: (5) Stenton Glider
Leg 6 Selections: (5) Madame De Sevigne
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