4.00pm Lingfield Tips & Betting Preview 08/03/2017

This is a tricky Class 3 contest over 5 furlongs at Lingfield, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: David Barron’s Scuzeme is a really interesting type and he’s clearly well thought of at home but an opening mark of 80 looks slightly on the high side for a horse with a few issues. It could pay to side with MERRY BANTER here now on her second start of the year for the Paul Midgley yard. She’s another that may still be slightly high in the weights but there should be more to come this season and her rider’s 5lb claim could make all the difference today.

1 MERRY BANTER – Had a very difficult task on her seasonal reappearance when giving away plenty of weight to the very good Sutter County. She ran with plenty of credit having only been beaten 4 lengths that day and she should improve a lot for that now making her second start as a 3yo. She races off 85 which may just be on the high side having been raised 7lbs for a success at the end of last season although she is aided by the in-form David Parkes (£9.25 profit last 14 days) and his 5lb claim. She has good claims today if not slightly high in the handicap and is respected here.

2 MONTE CINQ – Ran a fair race in defeat on his last start when beaten 6 lengths by Major Jumbo at Wolverhampton where he travelled well for a long way and weakened in the finish. He’s dropped 2lbs for that run but loses his riders 5lb claim so he’s effectively worse off at the weights here. He did run creditably in a Class 2 two starts ago when he bumped into a nice type but this may demand more although stall 1 should help his chances and he could lead them here. Certainly not discounted, but one or two probably better handicapped.

3 GRECIAN DIVINE – Picked up for 20,000GNS in October having done well in Ireland recording two victories over a furlong further. She made her first start in the UK at Chelmsford in the void race (incorrect flag was waved) but she finished a well beaten last that day and she’s very hard to recommend here now she remains on the same mark. She started at 50/1 that day and although she gets the services of a 7lb claimer, she looks up against it on these terms and she’s best avoided here.

4 SCUZEME – Very unexposed 3yo for David Barron making his fourth career start today. Bought for 11,000GNS as a foal, he had clearly made a very good impression at home having been sent off a 10/11 favourite on debut. Something went badly wrong that day and he failed to beat a rival home from 2 starts on the turf last summer. He came back a changed horse though on his seasonal return and he ran out a comfortable 3 length winner at Newcastle. The form looks okay with the second going on to win off 62 although the third was beaten off 64 on his next start. He’s clearly got potential but he may have issues and an opening mark of 80 looks to give him a tough enough task on handicap debut on albeit limited evidence. Likely to be strong in the betting again here.

5 JUAN HORSEPOWER – £50,000 purchase as a yearling so connections must be slightly disappointed they’ve only managed to get one win out of him from 12 starts. That victory came over the minimum trip and he is arguably on a workable mark now as he remains on 76 for his third run in a row. He’s definitely got a race of this nature in him but he has a habit of bumping into one or two and he could find a couple too good here although it would be no surprise to see him thereabouts.

6 PULSATING – Arrives here on the back of a victory having beaten the well-handicapped Invincible Ridge by 2 lengths on her last start. That was her first win for Daniel Steele although this is going to a much harder assignment now off a 7lb higher mark although the in-form Jane Elliott (15% strike rate last 14 days) replaces Hollie Doyle so she’s only up a 5lbs in the weights. However, this is a big step up in grade to Class 3 company which she has never faced and given she’s 4lbs wrong at the weights has to be opposed here.