8:46am Tuesday 9th February 2010
By Tom O'Ryan
Bowmaker, whose only appearance so far was a winning one, bids to double his score at Lingfield tomorrow.
The Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old heads south from North Yorkshire to contest the Golf And Racing Handicap over six furlongs and carries the nap vote.
It was over the same distance that Bowmaker made a winning debut at Southwell at the end of October. He made no mistake on that occasion, winning by seven lengths in the style of a decent prospect.
Bowmaker makes his handicap bow off a rating of 85. He is fancied to take all the beating, despite the presence of Richard Fahey’s recent winner Ghazwah.
Johnston, whose Middleham yard continues in fine form, may also have good prospects of landing the opening Marriott Play & Stay Maiden Stakes with Atlantic Tiger. Although yet to make a public appearance, Atlantic Tiger boasts a likeable pedigree and would not need to be any great shakes to land this modest-looking event.
John Hills is aiming to strike while the iron is hot with Stanley Goodspeed in the Try Betdaq For An Exchange Handicap.
Twice a winner on this course, most recently last Saturday, Stanley Goodspeed escapes a penalty for that success, which was achieved in an apprentices’ race. With Kieren Fox again taking the mount, he should make a bold bid to complete a rapid hat-trick.
Zerzura is an interesting runner in the Marriott Hotel Opening Spring 2010 Handicap.
Trained by Henry Cecil, and an all the way winner of a maiden at Wolverhampton last month, Zerzura looks handily weighted in this first handicap assignment. The 7lb claim of apprentice Charles Eddery will also come in handy.
At Kempton’s twilight fixture, Breathless Kiss returns to action for the first time since finishing unplaced in the Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy at Ripon last August.
Breathless Kiss, trained by Kevin Ryan at Hambleton, had previously won on her debut at Doncaster, looking a decent prospect in the process.
A well-bred filly by the US stallion Roman Ruler, Breathless Kiss should not be overlooked in the hands of Chris Catlin.
Keenes Royale goes for the hat-trick in the Ray Butcher Handicap over a mile and a half.
Jim Crowley’s mount has won here and at Wolverhampton and looks a progressive filly. She has gone up 9lb in the ratings, but, in her current form, she is taken to remain one step ahead of the handicapper.
Desert Vision has yet to appear this year, but Mick Easterby’s gelding was in tremendous form during the closing weeks of 2009. He commands respect in the digibet.com Handicap.
Racing selections
Lingfield.
1.25 Atlantic Tiger, 1.55 Rapid City, 2.25 Stanley Goodspeed, 2.55 Zerzura, 3.25 Prince Charlemagne, 3.55 Bowmaker (NAP), 4.25 Pastel Blue.
Kempton.
5.10 Sir Loin, 5.40 Breathless Kiss, 6.10 Midnight Bay, 6.40 Desert Vision, 7.10 Ilie Nastase, 7.40 Keenes Royale, 8.10 Caramelita.
Tomorrow’s other meetings: Carlisle, Ludlow and Southwell.
Today’s meetings: Market Rasen, Sedgefield and Southwell.
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