DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
WEDNESDAY MAY 21
5.20 WARWICK
There’s clearly something about today’s track that suits GETALEAD (best price 7-2) more than anywhere else and Kevin Pickard’s gelding looks primed to add to his unbeaten record of 3-3 at the Midland circuit.
You usually find with most horses, if they have a certain affinity with a course, it’s often one on their doorstep but not this guy, he must travel 180 odd miles to find his haven.
Successful on his first visit here back in 2021, the nine-year-old followed up over the C&D a year later and the third and final one of his victories came last November when he saw off a competitive field in typically battling fashion.
Disappointing on his first start for 113 days at Plumpton a month ago, the son of Getaway ran a ace more in-keeping with his overall profile at Newton Abbot on his latest outing and with the blinkers on again that seemed to spark a revival, he should be cherry ripe to step his game up another level under ideal conditions.
GETALEAD – 1-point win@7-2
7.20 GOWRAN
LEMSAIRBAT (best price 5-2) looks like she exceeded expectations based on the pre-race market at Sligo on her first start for new connections and with the possibility of improvement to come with that initial outing under belt, Joseph O’Brien’s filly might be capable of following in the footsteps of Altair, who took this race for the same stable three years ago.
Having her first outing for 175 days, the daughter of Bated Breath went through what turned out to be a well-run affair considering her long absence and although no match for stable mate Beset close home, she did more than enough under a big weight to suggest there are plenty of races to be won with her further down the track.
Moreover, the speed figure from the Cleveragh Road venue also highlighted her splendid effort and having proven she can handle decent ground as well as her previous other races all on soft, the lightly raced four-year-old rates a confident choice in her bid to claim top honours.
LEMSAIRBAT – 1-point win@5-2
7.40 KEMPTON
The combination of a brutal trip out wide and a drop back to six furlongs counted against AL AMEEN (best price 6-1) here last time out, but now back in the potentially more serene environment of a seven-furlong affair, James Fanshawe’s gelding is fancied to show his true worth.
A previous dual winner over tonight’s C&D, it was easy to see why the six-year-old was a warm order to complete his hat trick on his return to the Sunbury venue, but after getting hung out to dry early from stall 12, it soon became apparent he was unlikely to justify his position in the market.
Flat to the boards against specialist sprinters, he had every reason to wave the white flag and drop out the back of the telly from halfway, but to his great credit, he stuck to his task stoically and he ran on in willing fashion to finish a never-nearer fifth.
Although just shy of his previous best speed figure, his effort in defeat suggested he remains in decent form and having been handed a more favourable draw to work from this evening, the track specialist should prove to be a much more potent threat.
AL ALMEEN – 1-point each-way@6-1