Natalia's a gem …

Three meetings for us to look forward this Monday afternoon as we settle down after the excitement of the weekend’s racing action. Plumpton stage a seven race card starting at 12.40,up North Musselburgh go with another seven race card commencing at 12.20 while Lingfield Park race on the all -weather ,with their seven race card getting under way at 12.30.

Tony Martin sends a rare runner over to East Sussex in Gift Of D’Gab in the two and a half mile novices chase at 1.10. This horse looked a bit of all right when last seen out at Limerick where he had his race won a long way out. AJ had him entered up in the valuable Drinmore’s at Fairyhouse yesterday and it would seem he is held in high regard at home. This is no one horse race however and with Alan King saddling Invictus and Nicholls putting up Daryl Jacob on Indian Daudie, it has all the makings of a real Monday afternoon treat. Elsewhere on the Plumpton card jockey Dougie Costello travels for one mount only, Sam Sharp in the opener at 12.40 while the Twiston Davies record here of 40% in handicap hurdles could be a pointer to the chances of Mavalenta in the two mile five handicap at 1.40.
Course specialist The Hardy Boy knows his way around this tight circuit blindfolded and he bids for an incredible sixth victory here at Plumpton in the two and a half mile handicap at 2.10.Racing closes with the bumper and it could be significant that Timmy ‘hold-up’ Murphy comes for one mount only ,Trackmate for James Evans.

North of the border we race at Musselburgh where the feature race on the card at 2.20 is the two mile four handicap hurdle. A couple of  interesting runners here might be Chester Lad, ridden by Jason Maguire who is looking for a twelfth winner in the last fourteen racing days while Claude Carter comes from a stable that has a 67% strike rate here in handicap hurdles. A little earlier on Lucinda Russell’s Hurricane Jack could go well in the conditional jockeys handicap chase given the stable have a 25% strike rate in handicap chases here at Mussy. Watch also for Beaumont Prince in the 12.50.Formerly trained by Andrew Balding he went through the sales ring for 120,000 guineas and will be expected to make a winning debut in this company today.

Racing on the polytrack at Lingfield gets under way at 12.30 with an interesting juvenile maiden. Jockey Joe ‘from the front’ Fanning comes here for one mount only, Dark Falcon for Newmarket trainer James Tate. Leading jockey Dave Probert is another ‘one trick pony’ he comes here for the mount on J Cunningham,trained by Mark Usher in the seller at 1.00 . Upwardly mobile trainer Alan McCabe is the king of the claimers here at Lingfield, watch for his City Legend in the 1.30 ,the mount of Robert Winston. Promising young Italian jockey Andrea Atzeni will have a quite day, some early morning work at Newmarket, a light breakfast, a spot of Jeremy Kyle and off down to Lingers for his only mount of the day,Mazamorra in the one mile handicap at 2.00. Watch also in this race for Cavito Cavallino ,a horse looking for a seventh course success this afternoon .He has drawn the all important trap one and will get maximum assistance in the saddle from Bratislava’s answer to Julie Krone,the pulchritudinous Natalia Gemelova.

The ten furlong handicap could be a lively race in the betting ring. Sommersturm represents Barney Curley ,Sunset Boulevard looks for a seventh course success today, while Mooncoin trainer Eoin Doyle sends over an interesting contender in The Catenian ,the mount of Jimmy Quinn. Racing at Lingfield closes at 3.30 with another tricky looking handicap where Prince Of Thebes looks for a fourth course win and jockey Chris Catlin takes his only mount of the day, Shirataki for trainer Peter Hiatt.

Enjoy your racing this Monday afternoon and remember to call Star Spreads for all the latest market positions. You won’t be disappointed !

Donal