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Nick Luck

Nick Luck’s blog: Darver to Star at Lingfield

2 years ago
| BY News Team

The final day of the Winter Million meeting at Lingfield takes place on Sunday, while there’s some decent action over in Ireland too. Our resident tipster, Nick Luck, has cast his eye over it all for us.

Lingfield

BALLYGRIFINCOTTAGE looks a pretty sound favourite in the TV opener to Lingfield’s Winter Million on Sunday (1.20pm). While he ran almost unfeasibly well behind Blazing Khal on his rules debut, his Irish point form (through the exploits of the second in his maiden) has been made to look a whole lot better than it appeared at the time, and he showed that he was pretty tough by winning three in rapid succession. That encourages me that Cheltenham was no fluke, and a repeat will make him tough to beat at 2/1.

FAIVOIR is a cautious pick in the novices’ chase (1.50pm) at 5/2. The balance of evidence seems to suggest that – of all these closely matched rivals – he will cope best with the gluey ground at Lingfield. Allied to the fact that he will be much more at home going left handed and that he seems to find a way of winning stacks of races (no matter how ungainly he looks), there’s a strong chance that win number 10 is on its way.

DARVER STAR isn’t much of a price at 7/4, but makes most appeal in the feature Weatherbys Hurdle (2.25pm). A Champion Hurdle third two seasons ago, he has been mixing it up with fences to erratic effect since, not really comfortable over the bigger obstacles despite the occasional good run. Last time was the first time for ages that he had his conditions back over hurdles and, with blinkers on, duly bolted up. Given that Goshen’s connections will be wary of allowing him to run to free going left handed, the selection may get an uncontested lead and could take some pegging back in receipt of six pounds from his main rivals.

ITCHY FEET might just have found his race in the Fleur de Lys Chase (3.00pm) at 11/2. While it would be say to mark him as a bit of an underachiever the last couple of years, he has actually run to a consistently very high level of form, even if he’s looked a bit ugly doing it. The nature of this race – breakneck pace on tiring ground – might just be right up his street. He’s classy enough to tip away over these forgiving fences well within his comfort zone, and the possible collapse of that pace might just let him sneak in over an intermediate distance that looks spot on.

FADO DES BROSSES looks the interesting one in the Surrey National (3.35pm). When he gets it all together, he looks pretty smart and would certainly be well handicapped on his best form. He remains unexposed relative to most of these and – crucially – travelled very sweetly for a long way in much better race than this at Haydock on his comeback from a longish break. If that has brought him forward, he could be dangerous here at 8/1.

Thurles

JEREMYS FLAME (5/2) ought to get the job done in the Mares’ Novice at Thurles (2.40pm). She looked good dishing out a hefty beating to Dolcita at Naas and her experience should stand her in good stead relative to chasing debutante Minella Melody. The slight step up in trip won’t be a disadvantage either.

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