Lingfield: Bertie Blu Boy weighted to strike

Course specialist Bertie Blu Boy is back down below his last winning mark and can take advantage to land the 7f handicap at Lingfield today (4.05).

The Lisa Williamson trained gelding is a four-time course and distance winner, and the last of those successes came back in August 2013 where he made all and held on tenaciously to beat Lewamy by a short-head off a mark of 59.

Bertie then wasn’t disgraced when fifth of 11 at Wolverhampton off 62, and although he has failed to trouble the judge in five subsequent starts the handicapper has been quick to relent.
The six-year-old is now running off just 57, 2lb lower than when last successful, and has shaped as if coming back to form in his last two starts.

In the first of those at Wolverhampton over 6f, the son of Central Park when unable to dominate but showed plenty of pace to track the leader until weakening inside the last to be beaten 5 3/4 lengths into seventh.

Bertie Blu Boy then showed his customary early dash over course and distance last time out before weakening in the final 100 yards to finish a four length sixth of 10 to Pearl Ransom in a decent line-up for the grade.

This race looks far less competitive, and Bertie should be able to get an uncontested lead in the hands of 5lb claimer Kevin Lundie who has partnered him to success in the past.
In the 1m handicap (3.35), Stormbound looks weighted to go well.

The Paul Cole trained gelding opened his account when landing a 1m 1f maiden on the polytrack surface last January off an official rating of 72 and has since posted a number of solid efforts on the surface.

They include a 1 1/2 length second to Spiritual Star in a class 4 contest at Kempton off a mark of 71 and a solid fourth of 12 to Fifrtyshadesofgrey off the same rating over today’s course and distance.
Stormbound also ran really well on his penultimate at Kempton when not getting the clearest of runs before staying on well to finish third to Ertikaan off a mark 70, and backed that up with a solid two length fifth to Franco’s Secret over course and distance last time out.

The six-year-old has since been dropped 1lb to a mark of 69 and now meets the winner on 3lb better terms.

Selections:
12.50: Violet Dancer
1.25: Golly Miss Molly
2.00: China Club
2.30: Evening Attire
3.00: Dashing Star
3.35: Stormbound (NB)
4.05: Bertie Blu Boy