WORLD IS THE MASTER
Today's top TV Lingfield tips from Starform
2.00 MOUNTAIN BELL (treble) has clearly been difficult to train – just eight runs across four years – so credit to Ralph Beckett for making this one’s rare appearances so fruitful. She’s never been out of the first four and the latest of her three wins in December showed that the step up to 2m now opens up more winning opportunities – if she can stay sound. Behind that day and beaten on merit, was her principal rival and likely favourite Watersmeet, who went on to win his next three races.
2.30 No previous course experience is a slight negative for DIAGNOSTIC but in other respects she is a strong candidate. She ran up a hat-trick at Chelmsford in late 2017 and she returns to her best trip of 7f after a below-par defeat in a slowly-run 6f race last time. Joe Fanning has picked up a fine ‘spare’ on Pattie whose only run over the course and distance resulted in a victory. 3.05 KIMBERELLA won this conditions event last season and there is only one opponent (Gifted Master) who has a higher official handicap mark. He had passed another of today’s stronger rivals, Kachy, a couple of strides after the post when they met over the course and distance in February. Intisaab is another who has been narrowly defeated by Kachy but he has since won a Group Three affair in Qatar.
3.40 Corinthia Knight has been one of the revelations of the all-weather winter season and a fabulous calling card for his bright young trainer Archie Watson. He has not looked in danger on his last three winning starts, including a Listed affair at Chantilly. Before that sequence began, though, he was beaten fairly and squarely by NEVER BACK DOWN who found a tremendous finishing kick from way off the pace to beat Corinthia Knight going away. 4.10 SECOND THOUGHT (nb) is six from six on all-weather surfaces and he showed great determination in keeping that record alive at Kempton last time when finding plenty for pressure in a blanket finish. Goring’s record on synthetic surfaces is almost as good – five wins in seven tries – and he too found a lot when required in bringing up a four-timer over the course and distance last month.
4.40 MASTER THE WORLD (nap) was awarded the Winter Derby at this track in the stewards’ room but justice appeared to be done because he was hampered enough by the wayard Mr Owen to cost him the prize in a tight finish. Utmost was well back in sixth that day, a disappointment given how well he had won the Winter Derby trial from
Victory Bond in early February. Victory Bond, first or second in his four starts on the all-weather, may be the more reliable forecast tip.