Lingfield Preview: Al’s Memory and Buick a potent combination
Published:Al’s Memory has a terrific record at Lingfield and holds leading claims of further enhancing it in the 6f handicap on this evening’s card (6.35) now partnered by William Buick for the first time.
The David Evans trained gelding is a five time course winner, and last scored over 7f at Wolverhampton back in November off 80 a mark of 80.
The six-year-old now gets into this off just 74, having shaped as if ready to take advantage of his reduced mark in his last two runs.
In the first of those over course and distance, Al’s Memory raced up with the pace and stayed on well to go down by just 3/4 of a length to Dinneratmidnight.
The son of Red Clubs then ran a blinder on the turf to finish a two length third of 10 to White Russian at this venue over 7f, blazing a trail until being unable to find any extra deep inside the final furlong.
The drop back to 6f should be ideal judged on that effort, and Al’s Memory is ideally drawn to attack in stall three.
The booking of Buick, who rarely rides for the yard, also looks significant and suggests connections mean business.
Trainer David Lanigan has his team in terrific form, and the unexposed Sequester can give him another winner in the 1m 2f handicap that closes proceedings (8.05).
The Newmarket handler has saddled four winners from his last six runners, and two of those successes have come at this venue where he boasts a strike rate of 33% with his runners in the past 12 months.
In Sequester, he has a filly who has been a beaten favourite on her last two starts but has often run better than the bare result suggests on several occasions and looks a slow maturing type.
The daughter of Sekirk is certainly bred to be better than her current mark of 63, and may well appreciate the return to the polytack surface having shaped well on it over a mile here on handicap debut when fourth to Merry Me.
The form of that race looks strong in the context of this low grade class 5 contest, having thrown-up subsequent winners in the shape Starlit Cantata and Maid In Rio.
Connections are also now fitting Sequester for the cheekpieces for the first time, and if they have the desired effect the three-year-old could potentially make a mockery of her current rating.
Selections:
5.05: Indianaughty
5.35: Old Fashion
6.05: Palace Dragon
6.35: Al’s Memory (NAP)
7.05: Loving Home
7.35: Lola Montez
8.05: Sequester (NB)
