Suffragette City smacks of a solid nap for the Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs of Lingfieldf polytrack this afternoon, when the New Year’s Eve fixture consists of a seven-race programme to see out 2016.
This Dragon Pulse filly is trained by the racing family Hannon, ridden by champion apprentice, Tom Marquand, and has sufficient experience, she was seventh in her ninth outing earlier this month, a career-best!
Significantly that effort was in a fiercely-competitive, fourteen-runner, Kempton nursery on a similar surface. Suffragette City was only beaten three lengths in a tremendous bunch finish won by Washington Blue with our nap, Quothquan, a short-head runner-up.
Following a smashing start to the winter all-weather season which saw this column top of the Racing Post Naps Table, for more than a week, we became de-railed. December has been dreadful but it’s a question of soldiering on and not panicking, stick to routine, based on decades of experience, and it should come right. Nuzha was a beaut at Southwell, Thursday.
There is no doubt once-raced Zilta could be a danger to Suffragette City because a close fourth to Sayem represents good form but none of eleven others look capable of getting anywhere near them.
Thirty-five minutes later, over the same course and didstance, Hannon also runs recent flop San Souci Bay in the seven-runner nursery, Sean Levey replacing an inexperienced apprentice.
It looks tight but recent course and distance winner, Reign On, is advantaged by the apprentice claim of experienced Hector Crouch and is drawn one; worth a win bet.
Passing Star needs only to achieve anything like his best TH Mark to gain a long-overdue success in the aged, £19000, handicap over a mile, his optimum distance.
Unfortunately it’s been a long time between drinks!
Charles Hills’ charge has endured physical problems since bursting on the scene at this venue in 2014, compromising prospects which would undoubtedly have seen Passing Star a genuine Saturday horse.
Recent home gallops have suggested Passing Star is really buzzing, Hills’ legendary father, Barry, seems sufficiently impressed and crack stable apprentice, Callum Shepherd, claims 3lbs allowance.
Shepherd began his apprenticeship with Hills, was sent on his way last year, buckled down and to his eternal credit, achieved impressive statistics with Brian Ellison; phase two of his burgeoning career is all about the way young Callum tackles a unique, gilt-edged opportunity. Best of luck to him.
Lingfield, 9.55 Suffragette City (nap-e.w)
10.30 Reign On
11.05 Passing Star (e.w).
