Sport

Red Hand: Keep Believing on your side

STILL BELIEVING seems to save her best for Ludlow and she can demonstrate her love for the track once again in the feature Boyne Cup Handicap Chase.

The eight-year-old has won three times at the Shropshire venue, most recently back in January, and has placed a further twice at the course in the interim. She has shown admirable consistency in three outings since her return from a summer break, placing at Worcester and Hereford before returning to Ludlow last time.

Still Believing was beaten 25 lengths in third on that occasion, but she actually did well to place at all after making a dreadful mistake at the 18th obstacle which cost her both ground and momentum. While her chance of victory was gone, she eventually got rolling again to stay on for third and a better round of jumping should ensure an improved result for Evan Williams’ runner.

Not for the first time during the early part of this winter Saeed bin Suroor looks set for a good afternoon at Lingfield, not least with Natural Scenery in the Betway Handicap. Raced just once as a two-year-old, she returned to win a maiden at Newmarket in June, beating none other than subsequent November Handicap third Cape Cova, who now has a mark of 101.

The Dubawi filly was off during the summer but her all-weather bow could hardly have gone much better, fairly romping home at Wolverhampton, setting a new course record in the process. Still unexposed, her new rating of 89 leaves plenty of room for manoeuvre yet.

Stablemate King’s Shadow can get off the mark at the second time of asking in the 32RedBingo.com Maiden Stakes. He admittedly did not scream future winner on his debut at Leicester, but it is not a massive stretch of the imagination to think he is almost certainly better than he showed there.

Sir Maximilian should strip fitter for a recent run at Chelmsford on his first start since June and play a leading role in the Betway Sprint Handicap at Lingfield. A Group Three winner at Meydan in March 2015, Ian Williams’ sprinter was not disgraced in the very best company in the Temple Stakes and King’s Stand Stakes, both won by Profitable. With the cobwebs blown away two weeks ago, the seven-year-old can show he still has plenty of dash.

Loveatfirstsight is worth a go stepping out of maidens for the first time in the 32Red On The App Store Fillies’ Handicap. Alloted an initial mark of 67, she has not been miles off in her three outings to date and is giving sprinting a go with the assistance of top all-weather pilot Luke Morris in the plate.

Cruise Tothelimit tests the patience a bit but is going to get his head in front again at some stage and the 100% Deposit Bonus At Betway Handicap is the next opportunity. He remains well below his last winning mark and did little wrong when second at Newcastle, for which he has dropped another pound.

IRISH NEWS YANKEE


Nap: Still Believing (1.35: Ludlow)


Double: Natural Scenery (1.55: Lingfield)


Treble: Sir Maximilian (2.30: Lingfield)


Yankee: Rioja Day (12.40: Ayr)