Lingfield and Wolverhampton

Although some more light snow is possible, it seems that today´s two all-weather meetings at Lingfield and Wolverhampton are safe. The most interesting race of the day is the mile event for 2yo maiden fillies at 14.10 at Lingfield CET, which has quite a strong field for this time of year. Lady Rosamunde (Marcus Tregoning/ Hayley Turner) looks the form choice, having finished second on her only start so far, but Al Khatma (Marco Botti/ Adam Kirby) and Twin Soul (Andrew Balding/ David Probert) are expected to improve on their debut performnces, while two well-bred newcomers from top stables add spice to the mix- Baisse (Henry Cecil/ Kelly Harrison), running in the colours of Gerhard Schöningh,and Movingly (John Gosden/ Robert Havlin).

Balding and Probert also have a chance with Suffolk Punch in the mile handicap at 15.30, but we prefer Nazreef (Hughie Morrison/ Travis Block), while top-weight Harold Bluetooth( David Slimcock/ Fergus Sweeney) and The Fifth Member (James Boyle/ Steven Craine) are also not out of it in an open race. It is not often that one finds an improving 8yo on the flat, but that could be the case with Willie Musson´ s Mongoose Alert (Steven Donohoe), and we expect him to follow up last week´s easy win at Wolverhampton in the 1 1/2 mile handicap at 15.55.

There are 10 races at Wolverhampton, but some of the fields are small and all of them are poor. Our best bet here is Mr. Emirati (Bryan Smart/ A Carter), who was a non-runner yesterday, but can win the apprentice handicap against very modest opposition at 16.45. Hayley Turner, who is riding earlier at Lingfield, can land an cross-the-card double on David Simcock´ s Dahaam in the handicap over the extended mile at 17.45, but this is quite a tricky race.

With traffic conditions very bad, there are quite likely to be several non-runners at both tracks.