3.10pm Lingfield Tips & Betting Preview 04/05/2017

This is a competitive handicap over 1m 7 1/2f, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: This is an interesting handicap and the vote goes to NIGHT GENERATION. Chris Gordon’s runner is on a workable mark having finished second off 61 at Kempton back in February and the booking of Dane O’Neill catches the eye. He has the perfect draw in stall 4 and he can take advantage of some out of form sorts. Golly Miss Molly should do better now stepped back up in trip whilst Authors Dream holds a favourites chance with the champion jockey on board.

1 NIGHT GENERATION – Has been off the track since he ran an excellent race over 2 miles at Kempton back in February. He was beaten a short head that day by a well-backed winner and he returns to action here off the same mark which looks fair given the form hasn’t been boosted since. Dane O’Neill is an eye-catching booking and he can strike off this mark in what looks a slightly easier race than his last effort. Deserves plenty of respect today.

2 ASCENDANT – Finished ahead of Night Generation at Kempton back in February and he’s 1lb worse off at the weights today. He ran at Southwell just over a fortnight ago and was well-beaten, finishing last of seven beaten 16 1/2 lengths. He may not have handled the track that day and will do better returned to this faster surface. This mark should be workable but he’s now an 11yo and he’s vulnerable here to a few of his opponents.

3 GOLLY MISS MOLLY – Without a win since December 2015 and she still remains 2lb higher than that winning mark having placed off marks of 64 at Kempton last year. She’s struggled over shorter than this on three starts this year and she will do better now stepped markedly back up in trip. She doesn’t make much appeal on today’s terms but she should be seen to better effect here for a yard that have a 13% strike rate at Lingfield.

4 HIGHSALVIA COSMOS – 1 victory from 18 career starts and Mark Hoad’s gelding has been off the track for over a year and a half, having last been seen in December 2015. He returns to action off a 5lb lower mark than when last seen on the flat and this is the furthest he will have faced on the flat which shouldn’t be an issue. His form is poor but any market support would be significant off this long-break.

5 AUTHOR’S DREAM – Lightly-raced 4yo who was extremely well-backed last time out when he was beaten a neck at Wolverhampton. He clearly improved for the step up in trip and whilst a 3lb rise makes life harder, he should still be well-treated at the weights. There should be more to come over this longer trip with a pedigree packed full of stamina and Jim Crowley takes the ride which looks significant. The yard have had 2 winners from their last 7 runners.

6 PAR THREE – Mixed form of late with a victory and a placed effort followed up with a sizeable defeat. He remains on the same mark in which he was beaten off last time out and he looks high enough in the weights now, having exploited a mark of 49 when winning over an extended 1m 5f trip at Chelmsford in March. Adam Kirby is back aboard (6 wins from his last 28 rides) but stall 13 makes life difficult and others make more appeal.

7 BRIAC – Failed to make it a hat-trick of wins at Kempton earlier this month, having notched up a double off marks of 46 and 50. He looked better over further and it’s positive to see him stepped back up in trip today off the same mark as his last run. His career record of 2 wins from 19 runs leaves much to be desired and the boat may have sailed on this one, now higher in the weights. The yard have sent out a winner from their only runner in the past fortnight.

8 MR MAGILL – Lightly-raced sort who began life in France and now makes just his third start in the UK for Karen George. He has been sent off 100/1 and 50/1 on his two career starts in the UK and it could be a similar story here although the step up in trip should certainly help having looked terribly one-paced over shorter. Stall 11 is far from ideal although he is down another 3lbs in the weights and a hood is applied for the first time. Worth attention in the betting.

9 LE TISSIER – 19-race maiden and he’s been a frustrating sort of late. He failed to build upon two second-place finishes at Lingfield and has been beaten comfortably since which hasn’t yielded more than a one pound drop in the weights. He is well-treated on today’s terms as a 4yo but he’s had plenty of chances now and he is incredibly hard to win with. The stable are without a winner in the past fortnight, having sent out 11 runners.

10 MOON OVER MOBAY – 10-race maiden who placed off a 7lb higher mark over a mile back in June of last year. He’s been comfortably held on all four starts since transferring to the Michael Blanshard stable although he was only beaten 2 lengths over 2 miles at Kempton back in November. He’s another that receives the weight-for-age allowance and it’s possible that there’s more to come from him. The trainer’s record of 6 wins from 100 runners at Lingfield is slightly off-putting.

11 HONOURABLE KNIGHT – Completed a double off marks of 60 and 63 but has been barely seen since with just 2 runs in the past 2 1/2 years. He was beaten out of sight in two starts last year at Kempton and it’s impossible to know what to expect today for a horse that’s spent more time off the track than on it of late. The market should guide best but he looks up against it here.

12 LEDBURY – Another long-standing maiden and he’s slipped to a basement mark of 45 following heavy defeats this winter. He was only beaten 2 3/4 lengths at Lingfield in February but he will need this step up in trip to help having shown poor form over shorter. Josephine Gordon is a positive booking but he’s hard to be confident about given his profile and others make more appeal.

13 TOPALOVA – 13-race maiden and he’s only been raised 1lb for a decent run at Chelmsford last time out, beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Masterson. She was receiving just shy of 2 stone that day which may have flattered him slightly but he’s shown some progression compared to some of today’s rivals and he receives a weight-for-age allowance today. Gabriele Malune claims 7lbs off his back and he’s not without a chance.

14 MOVIE MAGIC – Second runner in this for Mark Hoad and he’s a 45-race maiden which must be coming close to setting a record for most runs without a win. He finished third of nine earlier this month over 1m 4f at Lingfield and he’s down a pound which will help but he’s thoroughly exposed to all of his opponents today and it would be a shock to see him finally win here.