Lingfield preview: Fit The Bill has plenty in his favour

David Metcalf | December 2, 2015

Trainer James Tate has a tremendous strike rate with his runners at Lingfield, and Fit The Bill can further enhance it with victory in the 1m 4f handicap on today’s card at the Surrey venue (13.30).

The Newmarket handler has been successful with just over 31 per cent of his runners at the track in the past 12 months, and in Fit The Bill has a colt that has dropped back down to a handy mark.

Fit The Bill has won three of his 10 starts this season, including once over course and distance, and was last successful at Redcar in June when scoring by a head off a mark of 78.

The three-year-old got put up to 81 for that victory and has failed to trouble the judge in four subsequent outings.

However, that has resulted in the handicapper cutting him some slack and the son of Ifraaj he is now able to race off a reduced rating of 77.

That is 1lb lower than when last successful and gives Fit The Bill major claims at the weights now returned to the polytrack surface on which he has won twice and been placed on two occasions from just seven starts.

The booking of Adam Kirby to do the steering also suggests connections mean business as he has a strike rate of 44% when teaming up with the yard in the last 12 months.

Soaring Spirits a super shout for 7f handicap

In the 7f handicap (15.00), Soaring Spirits can take advantage of a drop in the weights to get back to winning ways.

The Dean Ivory trained gelding was in good form last year when winning twice over 6f at this venue, with the last of those successes coming off a mark of 75.