2.30pm Lingfield Tips & Betting Preview 03/03/2017

This is an interesting maiden over 7 furlongs with a couple of nice sorts, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: HAVELOCK is a short price to win this but he’s got everything going for him today and he should really be opening his account at the sixth time of asking. He’s got the perfect draw in stall 1 and Joe Fanning (27% strike rate last 14 days) should make use of him and take it from the front. Millie’s Kiss does receive 5lbs from the selection but she has a little to prove on the back of her nursery defeat whilst Ahead Of Time could prove the biggest threat with his last run shaping up well.

1 AHEAD OF TIME – David Simcock’s 3yo colt by Dream Ahead was a 115,000GNS purchase as a yearling and he’s run to a fair level in two starts to date. The form of his last run is starting to look relatively useful with the third and fourth since going on to break their maiden tags and the step back down to 7 furlongs looks in his favour here having just tired late on when previously seen. He’s been sent off 5/2 & 7/2 so far and there’s likely to be money around again for a trainer with a 20% strike rate here (£16.85 profit) and he should run with credit again.

2 HAVELOCK – The most experienced runner in the field with 5 runs to his name and he ran a fair race on his last start having bumped into a potentially useful type. He’s improved for every run since a long layoff and his run over C&D last time out was probably his best and he gets an excellent draw in stall one today. This could be a tactical affair and Joe Fanning has the opportunity to lead here and really ask his more inexperienced rivals to catch him. He does have to find a little at the weights with Millie’s Kiss based on official ratings but his fitness is confirmed and this Helmet colt should be tough to beat.

3 KING OTTO – Twice-raced Holy Roman Emperor gelding who’s shown little of promise in his two starts to date. He was well beaten by Havelock on his last start over C&D and it’s hard to envisage a reversal in that form for a trainer out of form (no winners from last 10 runners) and only a 9% strike rate here. He’ll receive a mark after today’s run and he’s just the type to do better entered into handicaps further down the line.

4 MILLIE’S KISS – Has a pedigree full of stamina (by Aussie Rules) but is kept over the 7 furlong trip today having run with credit in a couple of Class 4 maidens over 6 and 7 furlongs earlier last year. She ran in a handicap on her last start but couldn’t get near the leaders and was well-beaten and that looked to be a step backwards on what she had already achieved. She’s had fair breaks between her runs and arrives here off a 102-day break. She gets the assistance of Silvestre De Sousa today and finds herself technically well-in at the weights but there may just be a couple of questions to answer with a couple of nice types against her here.

5 SECRET SANDS – Pat Phelan’s runner was an £11,000 purchase as a 2yo and drops down 4 furlongs here having been very well beaten over 1m 3f at Kempton on her last start. She’s yet to get within 13 lengths of the winner on both of her starts to date and she looks up against it here even though she has the 5lb fillies’ allowance. She’s another to do much better in handicaps and she’ll get a mark following this run.

6 WATAR DAY – Trainer hasn’t had a winner from 40 attempts here and her racecourse debutant looks really against it today. She was bred by her trainer who now owns her jointly and she’ll almost certainly need this run to learn what the game is all about. Her pedigree doesn’t scream out as if she’s likely to gain her first win in maidens and she’ll be another for much further down the line.