20 years of the all-weather!

All-weather racing in Britain celebrates its 20th birthday today with a strong card at Lingfield, including two valuable listed races for fillies. Newmarket trainers Saeed bin Suroor and Henry Cecil are strongly represented in both events. In the 1 mile 5 furlongs race at 15.10 CET Cecil saddles two runners, Acquisition (Jimmy Quinn) and Flame of Gibraltar (Tom Queally), but we expect Godolphin´s ex-German Baila Me (Frankie Dettori) to come out on top. Last year´s Preis von Europa winner has been well beaten on her British starts, but faces lesser company now and a return to her German form would give her an excellent chance here. Rosika (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore) and Snoqualmie Girl (David Elsworth/ Kieren Fallon) also have possibilities here.

Half an hour later they race over a mile and Apple Charlotte (Cecil/ Queally) and Moonlife (Saeed/ Dettori) appear to stand out. The former had smart form in the spring, but has not run since finishing down the field in a top race at Hollywood Park in July while Moonlife trotted up last time in a minor event at Leicester. Lightly-raced Sirocco Breeze, having his first race for a year in the 7 furlongs handicap at 16.10, and well-bred debutant Padmini (by Tiger Hill out of Irish Oaks winner Petruschka), in the 2yo maiden at 17.10, can complete a good day for Godolphin and Frankie. Godolphin also have a runner in the 2yo maiden at 19.30 at Wolverhampton´s all-weather meeting this evening - Addahab (Ted Durcan), who is clearly not one of their stars, but may still be good enough; Cojo (Brian Meehan/ Martin Dwyer) is the obvious danger.