STASH CASH ON ASH
ASHADIHAN looks the best bet on Lingfield’s televised card today.
Kevin Ryan’s mare has won both her all-weather starts – one of them a Grade Three over today’s distance at the Surrey track last May.
ASHADIHAN (2.40) qualified for the Fillies’ And Mares’ Final by beating last year’s winner, Volunteer Point, at Chelmsford.
The runner-up 12 months ago, Bint Dandy, is out of form, so Muffri’ha is a better bet for the forecast, given her good form in Dubai at Meydan and her ideal draw on the rail.
COHESION (2.10) was bought for 85,000gns to go hurdling but David Bridgwater has been so impressed with the ex-Khalid Abdullah gelding’s form on sand that he changed to a Plan B.
The key question is whether Cohesion will last home as he has raced solely over a mile and a quarter and a mile a half.
There is certainly plenty of stable confidence behind him, with Ryan Moore taking over from Oisin Murphy, Cohesion is a good each-way bet at 11-2.
Lancelot Du Lac has run well in defeat in two previous Sprints. He is better at five furlongs, though, and vulnerable in the closing stages to a fast finisher.
KIMBERELLA (3.10) fits that description and should get up in good time if Paul Hanagan gets the breaks when he needs them.
Pretend was drawn two when he won the 2015 Sprint. He has to jump from stall 12 today, so will do well to be placed.
That said, there is no better jockey around Lingfield than Adam Kirby, and he has won three times on Pretend, so his mount may not be a lost cause.
ENNAADD (3.40) has a bit of class about him. He has won his last four, and got progressively better with each race.
He won his Kempton qualifier in November with unbelievable ease and it would be no surprise to see him draw right away in the home straight.
GRENDISAR (4.40) has lost a lot of the acceleration that has won him six races at Lingfield including last year’s Classic, a Winter Derby and a brace of Derby trials.
He and Battalion have won 10 races over today’s course and distance between them, so make more appeal than Convey.