Lingfield Preview: Praise’s chances are crystal Clear

Clear Praise has been given a chance by the handicapper and can take advantage to land the spoils in the 5f feature contest at Lingfield today (3.35) now dropped in class.

The Simon Dow trained gelding is a course and distance winner who was last successful when scoring in a class 5 contest on the turf at Brighton last May off a mark of 75.

The eight-year-old now gets into this off just 2lb higher, and comes into the contest on the back of three solid runs in class 4 company which suggest he is ready to strike.

In the first of those Clear Praise finished third over course and distance, and he then ran a blinder off the same mark when a 1 3/4 length fifth of 11 to Dont Have It Then at Kempton.
Clear Praise finished just 1/2 a length behind Top Offer in the latter, and now meets that rival on 3lb better terms.

That should be more than enough to turn around the placings, but it is Clear Praise’s record in this grade which makes him stand out like a sore thumb as the one to be on.

Since August 2013 the son of Songandandaprayer has run just twice in 19 starts in class 5 company and has been victorious on both occasions.

In the 1m 2f handicap (3.00), the John Gosden trained Peterhouse could well have got in lightly off an opening mark of just 65.

The colt has failed to trouble the judge in three runs over 7f/1m but has been too green to do himself justice and looks a potential improver now stepped up in trip and going down the handicap route.

The well-bred son of Elusive Quality is bred to come into his own over middle distances, and his handler has found a very weak looking class 5 contest which won’t take much winning.
The other bet that appeals on a trappy card is Spowarticus in the 6f handicap that closes proceedings (4.10).

The Scott Dixon trained gelding is right at the top of his game at present having bolted up by four lengths at Wolverhampton before posting really solid efforts to finish runner-up on his last two starts.

Spowarticus found only a well-treated rival too good last time out at Kempton, and the front running six-year-old is likely to be hard to peg back this afternoon in what looks a weaker contest.