Lingfield Preview: Chauvelin can be punters’ hero

Chauvelin caught the eye last time out and looks the answer to the 1m 4 handicap at Lingfield today (2.50).

The Roger Charlton trained gelding has only had four starts, and after shaping with plenty of promise to finish fifth of 12 to the useful Persona Grata at Wolverhampton improved again to finish fifth of 10 to Taaresh on handicap debut at Kempton earlier in the month.

The three-year-old, who is named after the villain Citizen Armand Chauvelin from Baroness Emmuska Orczy’s classic novel The Scarlet Pimpernel, kept on nicely from off the pace to be beaten 2 3/4 lengths without being knocked about.

It was an effort which suggested Chauvelin was coming along nicely and would have no problem winning a race of this nature.
The handicapper has also been quick to drop the son of Sir Percy 1lb to 66, and given Chauvelin’s unexposed and progressive profile that looks a dangerous move.

To me Chauvelin looks as if he could be ahead of the assessor, and another plus is that his handler has a near 35% strike rate at the track in the last 12 months.

Jockey Adam Kirby has a terrific record when teaming up with trainer Luca Cumani in maiden races at the venue, and that makes Ocean Boulevard look value to turn over the jolly in the 1m 2f contest (1.20).

Kirby has won on his last five rides for the Newmarket trainer in such contests, and Ocean Boulevard has shown enough in two runs to suggest she has enough ability to add to that impressive tally.

The daughter of Danehill Dancer ran really well on debut at Newbury when keeping on nicely to finish third to Court Room over 1m 2f, and seemed to find the step up to 1m 4f against her when third last time out at this venue in a slowly run race.

The drop back in trip this afternoon looks sure to suit, and this looks a nice opportunity for Ocean Boulevard to open her account.
In the 7f handicap (1.50), Skidby Mill is weighted to go well at a big price and looks decent each-way value in a wide open contest.
The Laura Mongan trained filly is a two-time winner at the track, with the last of those successes coming over a mile back in January off a mark of 56.

The four-year-old went to be be placed at this venue twice off 61 and now gets into this off a career-low rating of just 52.
That makes Skidby Mill a big player on the pick of her form, especially as she runs this track particularly well.