Lingfield Preview: Stormbound ready to rumble

Stormbound has been running well of late and looks weighted to take all the beating in the 1m handicap at Lingfield today (3.10).

The Paul Cole trained gelding opened his account when landing a 1m 1f maiden on the polytrack surface back in January off an official rating of 72 and went on to land a handicap on the turf at Bath off 62 in June.

Since then the five-year-old has been campaigned solely on the all-weather and posted four solid efforts on the surface.

They include a 1 1/2 length second to Spiritual Star in a class 4 contest at Kempton off a mark of 71 and a solid fourth of 12 to Fifrtyshadssofgrey off the same rating over today’s course and distance.

Stormbound also ran really well last time out at Kempton when not getting the clearest of runs before staying on well to finish third to Ertikaan off a mark 70, and if things had panned out differently he may well have prevailed.

However it was a run which suggested that the son of Galileo remained at the top of his game, and off the same rating Stormbound looks the one they all have to beat granted better luck in-running.

Glorious Dancer was a big eye-catcher last time out and may well have got in lightly on handicap debut in the 7f nursery (1.10).

The Ed Walker trained colt has had three quick runs to get a qualifying mark and went into my notebook as a surefire future winner in the last of those when fifth of eight to Bonfire Heart over 6f at this venue.

After being held up in the rear, the son of Royal Applause made good headway on the outside two from home and ran on strongly to be beaten 2 3/4 lengths under tender handling.

He now meets the sixth home Souk Al Tahab, who finished 1 1/4 lengths behind, on 7lb better terms and the step up to 7f looks sure to suit.

His handler also has a decent strike rate of just under 19.5% at the venue in the past 12 months, and with further improvement assured Glorious Dancer’s opening mark of 64 look very exploitable.

In the 5f handicap that closes the card (3.40), Artemis can go well at a decent price now refitted with the hood.