And A Lingfield Winner Too

Inspired and motivted by his next door neighbour’s success at Kempton, TROPICAL SPEED showed that he could match it with a front running success at Lingfield on Thursday. The easing ground was a bit of an unknown with him, but it did not prevent Tropical Speed from gradually wearing down the opposition and seeing off the final threat by means of a superior jump at the final flight. The plan was not necessarily to lead from the drop of the flag, but nobody else took up the baton and on his first ride for Shovelstrode, Chad Bament seized the moment and judged the pace excellently for his first sit on this particular horse. Great stuff all round. The picture below, from Friday morning, shows Tropical Speed (left) and Everyonesgame (right) preparing to accept tribute from the other horses – who are not as indifferent as they may appear…

And there is an individual shot of Tropical Speed in the winners’ enclosure too

The other three runners this week all attracted a similar verdict – coming back from a long break and ran as if they needed the spin after their absences.

YASMINA, on the flat at Chelmsford, may have found 1m 2f a touch too far as well. She will probably have another flat run or two before deciding whether to go hurdling. We may also try and avoid locations where she could fear that a giant is looming up behind and may see her as dinner material.

EPHYRA came back from ten months off in what may have been a pretty decent race for her hurdles debut at Lingfield and went well for a long way. She is an efficient jumper and should make a go of the new job.

SOMKIYR had been off for a year before his Lingfield run, during which time he had moved from France and been gelded. He was racing over hurdles for the first time too and ran very solidly until he blew up coming down the hill before two out. He will come on for the run a lot, and adapt to racing in wintery Surrey compared to the sunnier climes of Bordeaux and Toulouse.