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All eyes are on the flat racing action this Monday, as Lingfield, Windsor, and Wolverhampton host competitive events, available for viewing on Sky Sports Racing.
2.45 Lingfield – Signcastle City and State Flag Clash
There are several contenders in this race, but Richard Hannon’s Signcastle City stands out as he returns for the season in the Get The Inside Track With raceday-ready.com Handicap. His most recent outing was less than stellar in a tough race at Goodwood. However, he drops down to Class Four for this event, boasting past form figures of 1,7,1,1,2,1, and this will only be his second attempt on all-weather tracks.
Rey De La Batalla has consistently shown strong performance on all-weather surfaces, securing two victories at Lingfield, making him a solid choice from Simon Dow’s stable.
State Flag showed promise with a respectable fifth place over the same course and distance previously, and Jim Crowley’s booking is an encouraging sign. He has room for improvement compared to several rivals in this field.
Other noteworthy contenders include Navagio, Diamondonthehill, and Society Lion.
3.15 Lingfield – Kitty Furnival and Sax Appeal Headline
In the Download The Racecourse App Raceday Ready Handicap, Jack Mitchell will ride Kitty Furnival, who appears well-positioned for a return to victory after a strong run of recent form, recorded as 1132. She has demonstrated resilience following breaks, making her a significant threat off a rating of 86.
Sax Appeal, trained by Charlie Johnston, recently ended a winning streak at Southwell but could rebound here. With limited competition for the lead from Raintown, he should maintain a favorable position to challenge for home under Oliver Stammers.
Rockit Tommy underperformed at Newbury, but returning to this distance and the all-weather surface might work in his favor.
The remaining contenders include Surrey Fire and Youthful King.
6.30 Windsor – First Officer Aims to Defend Title
Windsor’s flat racing returns on Monday night with First Officer, who competes in the Snap Fitness Monday Night Handicap. He won this race last year after a similar 178-day hiatus and, racing off only a two-pound higher mark this time, should make a strong bid under David Egan.
Five-year-old Dancing In Paris, trained by Ian Williams, is returning to flat racing after a commendable third place in a Grade Two Novice hurdle at Cheltenham in October. The move back to flat racing is anticipated to be beneficial, and he is expected to perform well from a trailing position.
Expert Witness, having finished second at Leicester last time out, will be in contention while running off an unchanged weight.
Keep an eye on Promethean, Fast Steps, and Lilly Lux, who also merit attention.
Best of the Rest
3.45 Lingfield
Despite a rocky start, the John and Thady Gosden-trained Go Go Boots showed potential in her debut last December, finishing strong to win against a solid rival from George Boughey. She remains a compelling option with scope for further improvement.
Magical Idea makes her debut for the reputable William Haggas yard and, being a half-sister to Mukhadram, should draw interest with Cieren Fallon aboard.
4.25 Windsor sees Cupola representing Cheveley Park.
Wolverhampton will also feature competitive action this evening.
8.20 Wolves
Aberama Gold nearly won a competitive handicap at Ripon recently, and with a string of second-place finishes in his last three outings, this veteran sprinter is well-positioned for another strong performance in his 86th race.
Trained by Scott Dixon, Phoenix Beach aims to bounce back after narrowly missing a hat-trick last time out. His earlier victories at this course will aid his confidence, and the return to distance should complement his racing style.
Source
www.skysports.com