Lingfield preview: Knight Of The Air poised to open account

Knight Of The Air posted a cracking effort when runner-up last time out and can go one better to open his account in the 1m handicap on this evening’s all-weather card at Lingfield (19.20).

The Mick Channon trained gelding went down by just a head to Hawk Moth at Brighton seven days ago, and the pair pulled seven lengths clear of the field to give the form a solid look.

It was an effort which suggested Knight Of Air was ahead of the handicapper, and it’s no surprise to see connections turn out the three-year-old quickly.

Knight Of Air is able to race off an unchanged mark of 54, and is due to run off 59 in future assignments.

It means that the son of Bushranger is officially 5lb “well-in” at the weights, and that is going to make Knight Of Air difficult to beat if proving as effective on the artificial surface.

In the 6f handicap (20.20), Jay Bee Blue can take advantage of a drop in the weights to score a long overdue success.

The Sean Curran trained gelding is course and distance winner who was last successful off a mark of 77 back in November 2013.

Jay Bee Blue went on to finish an excellent runner-up off 80, and also ran well to be placed on several occasions last year.

The six-year-old is now able to race off just 58 having shaped as if returning to form on his penultimate outing when running on strongly from off the pace to finish a 1/2 length third of 11 to Costa Filey over course and distance.

Although unable to back up that effort last time out when just ninth of 15 on the turf at at Windsor, four of Jay Bee Blue’s five career wins have come on the polytrack surface and the son of Kyllachy looks worth another chance to cash-in on his falling mark now returned to it.