DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 17
3.08 PONTEFRACT
As time as progressed, it is clear SEA LANTERN faced an impossible task trying to give 24lb away to the very smart Infraad over today’s course back in April and even though Brian Ellion’s gelding hasn’t run since, a chance is taken on his fitness levels being sufficiently good enough to overcome the absence.
Having his first outing since leaving Jack Davidson in Ireland, the son of Sea The Stars looked a little rusty when asked to go with the leaders half a mile from home and although he never looked like laying a glove on a horse who has since gone on to land the Melrose at York (now rated 106), he stayed on very taking fashion to finish upsides the 88-rated Asia Force, who has really come into his own of late.
Off the track a similar length of time to the one when he arrived at the Yorkshire venue last time, he has to face a trio of three-year-olds on the improve on his return to the fray but safe in the knowledge none of them are going to be in the same bracket as Infraad, the four-year-old can give a good account.
SEA LANTERN – 1-point win@9-4
8.30 SOUTHWELL
GOLDSPIE is one of the more exposed members of the field with no fewer than 47 races under his belt but he does have three solid runs over today’s C&D on his cv and another positive result should be forthcoming if he performs anywhere near the same level as he did here 17 days ago.
Held up in last place at the Midland venue, the six-year-old still occupied that position as the field swung into the home straight but to his great credit, he did run on nicely to pick up some scalps late on and in view of the speed figure of the race, his performance was much better than it appeared at the time.
Adding that effort to some of his previous all-weather runs, he now has the top seven speed figures of today’s field according to andyholdingspeedfigures.co.uk and with the very promising amateur, Lucas Murphy, on board seen as a massive positive, Patrick Morris’ inmate can add another victory to his tally.
GOLDSPIE – 1-point win@2-1