LINGFIELD regular Ghost Train is a worthy ally when he returns to the circuit for the Bet And Watch Every Race At Unibet Handicap.
Trained in nearby Godstone by Tim McCarthy, the seven-year-old has been in decent nick on the all-weather this winter and looks well placed to secure a fourth career victory.
The gelded son of Holy Roman Emperor won well over course and distance in December and can be considered a smidgen unfortunate not to have struck again in a six-furlong handicap on January 30. Despite having been switched for daylight inside in the final furlong, Ghost Train charged gamely towards the finishing line to go down by just a neck to Seamster.
With that rival having since run well in better company, the form has a nice feel to it. And though Ghost Train is up another 2lb for this, he won off higher in his pomp and has also been there or thereabouts on a similar sort of mark as this. It is also quite reassuring that Luke Morris has kept the partnership intact.
Brasted should also be followed in the Coral Handicap. Claimed by Paul Cole from out of Ian Williams’ yard in January, the four-year-old chestnut brought a decent level of form to the table on only his second start for new connections over a mile at this track three weeks ago.
The son of Footstepsinthesand was denied by Black Dave by just a short head and probably would have won within a handful more strides. With a 2lb rise for that unlikely to stifle progress, it will be interesting to see how he gets on back over a mile-and-a-quarter - a distance at which he last ran on his racecourse debut in the summer.
Leonard Thomas had no luck at Lingfield last time but happier times could be just around the corner at Kempton. Tony Carroll’s six-year-old was hamstrung by what was hardly an electric gallop in a mile-and-a-half handicap, while he also hit traffic problems.
Things obviously went against him, but Leonard Thomas finished strongly to take fifth spot, beaten three-and-a-quarter lengths by Trending. Granted a truly-run race, and with 1lb less on his back for the Racing UK 3 Devices 1 Price Handicap, he must have every chance in what is a pretty ordinary encounter.
IRISH NEWS YANKEE
Nap: Ghost Train (4.20pm, Lingfield)
Double: Brasted (4.55pm, Lingfield)
Treble: Leonard Thomas (7.20pm, Kempton)
Yankee: Dolores Delightful (3.35pm, Towcester)
