The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Divine Spear to sharpen up for festival
Racing: Henderson makes long trip north with Cheltenham-bound hope
DIVINE SPEAR is among the possibles for the JLT Chase as next month’s festival and it is perhaps telling Nicky Henderson sends him on the long trip to Musselburgh for the 188Bet Mobile Novices’ Chase.
Henderson usually heads to the Edinburgh track in search of better ground and Divine Spear is a runner who appears to turn in his best efforts when conditions are not too deep.
He was seen to good effect on soft ground at Ascot before Christmas, producing an excellent round of jumping and looking like a horse who will make his mark in good company.
This could be a nice stepping stone on the way to Prestbury Park.
RED VERDON is the class act on show at Lingfield where he goes in the Betway Conditions Stakes.
The Ed Dunlop-trained five-year-old was most unlucky not to pick up a big prize in his three-year-old season, finishing sixth in the Derby at Epsom and fourth in the Irish equivalent, before being agonisingly denied on the line in the Grand Prix de Paris.
A setback meant he missed the St Leger, and, in truth, last year never reached the heights of 2016. That said, he did finish the campaign with victory in a Kempton Listed event.
POETIC IMAGINATION changed hands for 48,000 guineas at Tattersalls at the start of the month and offered an immediate return when third on her debut for Archie Watson.
The filly failed to strike in five starts for John Gosden, but certainly has a smidgen of ability and was good enough for third dropped back to five furlongs on her first effort for Watson.
She did not look quite quick enough for the minimum trip, but stepped back up to six furlongs and lining up off a mark of 74, she is not one to discount in the 32Red.com Handicap. SELECTIONS
LINGFIELD: 1.50 Carouse, 2.20 Marshal Dan, 2.50 Wilde Oscar, 3.20 Poetic Imagination, 3.50 Red Verdon, 4.20 Billyoakes, 4.50 Pivotal Flame.
MUSSELBURGH: 2.00 Misfits, 2.30 Silver Concorde, 3.00 DIVINE SPEAR (NAP), 3.30 Toarmandowithlove, 4.00 Canny Style, 4.30 Royal Mandate, 5.00 Perfect Myth.
DOUBLE: Divine Spear and Red Verdon.