Lingfield Preview: Aiyana and Hughes a potent combination

Champion jockey Richard Hughes has a good strike rate for trainer Hughie Morrison, and that makes Aiyana of obvious interest in the 2m handicap on this evening’s mixed card of all-weather and turf action at Lingfield (7.25).

Hughes has a 28.5% strike rate when teaming up with this stable in the past 12 months (eight winners and four places from 28 rides), and now gets the leg up on Aiyana for the first time.

It looks a significant booking, and the filly looks capable of bouncing back from a below par run at Southwell now returned to this venue.

Aiyana’s sole career success came over course and distance back in October, where she made all in the hands of Ryan Moore to score with more in hand than the winning margin of 1 1/2 lengths suggests off a mark of 62.

The daughter of Indian Haven then ran very well to go down by just 3/4 of a length at Wolverhampton off 65, and now runs off just 1lb higher.

That suggests that Aiyana is not overly burdened now she has switched back to the polytrack, having clearly failed to take to Southwell’s fibresand surface when last seen in action.

In the 7f handicap on the turf (5.55), Hawk Moth looks weighted to go well at a big price.

Trained by John Spearing, this gelding registered his last success over course and distance, on quick ground like today’s, when getting up late to beat Enriching by a short-head last January off a mark of 57.

The six-year-old now gets into this off 3lb lower than when last successful, and that gives him every chance at the weights.

Hawk Month now has Luke Morris on board for the first time, and another plus is that his handler boasts a 40% strike rate with his runners at the venue in the past 12 months.

Another horse that has been given a chance by assessors is Red Dragon, who runs in the 1m 2f handicap that closes the card (8.25).

The gelding registered his last success at Wolverhampton when beating Black Dave by 3 1/4 lengths off a mark of 68 at the beginning of last year, and went on be placed off higher marks.