Lingfield Preview: Stepper ready to make his Point

There are seven cracking races on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Lingfield Park, and Stepper Point looks to hold outstanding claims of landing the 6f sprint (4.05).

Trained by William Muir, the son of Kyllachy has won three times at Listed level and looked a horse to keep on the right side when winning the last of those at this venue over 5f.

The five-year-old, who was having his first run on the polytrack surface that day, raced wide throughout and ran on strongly to beat Iptisam with more in hand than the two length winning margin suggests.

That win saw the gelding get an official rating of 112, and he has 7lb an upwards in hand on his rivals in this contest.

The step back up to 6f should also be no problem, and with Martin Dwyer in the saddle Stepper Point looks the one they all have to beat.

Ertijaal has a touch of class about him and looks a worthy favourite in the 2.55 to follow-up his recent course and distance success.

William Haggas’ colt chased home the classy Toormore on his debut as a juvenile before scoring in facile fashion at at Yarmouth.

The son of Oasis Dream overcame a wide draw to win the Spring Cup on his seasonal reapearance at this track last month, winning with a bit more in hand than the winning margin of a head suggests.

He looked sure to come on for the run that day, and has fared much better with the draw this time round having bagged gate four.

In the £200,000 Coral Easter Classic that closes the card (5.20), Dick Doughtywylie looks sure to go well for in-form trainer John Gosden.

The son of Oasis Dream is a useful sort who has won five of his 17 starts and been placed seven occasions.

The last of those successes came over course and distance on his penultimate start where he ran on gamely to beat stable companion Gatewood by 1/2 a length in a Listed contest.

The gelding than backed that up with an excellent fourth of 14 to Robin Hood’s Bay in the Group 3 Winter Derby last month, again over course and distance, where he weakened late on to be beaten just 2 3/4 lengths.

That was the six-year-old’s first run for 91 days, and he should come on for it and be able to confirm the placings with Grandeur who finished over 3 1/2 lengths behind in sixth.