5.35 Wolverhampton, Thursday, January 4

In the Betway Middle Distance Handicap (5.35) at Wolverhampton on Thursday, Raashdy has continued in good from since completing a four-timer at Lingfield in November and can resume winning ways. A course and distance winner in October – in a race that has thrown up a couple of winners – the Intikhab gelding has been campaigned over 1 mile 6 furlongs on two of his last three starts, but the return to 1 mile 4 furlongs is almost certainly in his favour and he remains just 4lb higher in the weights than when successful at Lingfield. A Simon Crisford castoff just over a year ago, Peter Hiatt’s 5-year-old has officially improved 17lb since switched back to the all-weather in October and can continue to pay his way for connections.

Selection: Wolverhampton 5.35 Raashdy to win  

6.20 Wolverhampton, Tuesday, December 12

The Bet & Watch at Sunbets.co.uk Handicap (6.20) at Wolverhampton on Tuesday is an ordinary contest in which recent winning form is thin on the ground. Nevertheless, the only last-time-out winner in the field, Grey Destiny, has been raised a lenient-looking 4lb for winning over course and distance in November and appears to have every chance of following up.

Anthony Brittain’s 7-year-old is hardly a prolific winner, but only narrowly failed over course and distance on his penultimate start before running on well to beat Kafoo by three-quarters of a length, with something in hand, on his return to the West Midlands track 11 days later. The Desideratum gelding has been given five weeks to recover from his exertions and, while he takes a slight rise in class, he is attempting little more than he has achieved in the past and has bright prospects.

Selection: Wolverhampton 6.20 Grey Destiny to win

 

3.40 Lingfield, Tuesday, November 21

What A Welcome finished stone cold last, at three-figure prices, on both turf starts for Eric Wheeler in the summer, but has made significant progress since switched to the Polytrack at Lingfield by his new connections. Having shown signs of ability when fifth of 10, beaten 7¾ lengths, in a Class 5 maiden over a mile on his debut for Patrick Chamings last month, the Nathaniel gelding take a major step forward when winning a 0-70 handicap over 1 mile 2 furlongs earlier this month with a little in hand. His pedigree suggests that an extra two furlongs should be within his compass and a 4lb rise in the weights is offset by a drop back into 0-65 company, so he looks to have bright prospects of following up. In fact, off a mark of 67, he could be absolutely thrown in.

Selection: Lingfield 3.40 What A Welcome to win 9/2

Lingfield Park Racecourse

Lingfield Park Racecourse, from a distance, looks rather simple. However, as part of its large all-weather flat-racing track, there’s plenty to do and a fantastic level of detail to every part of the course. This has a real classical feel to it, while still offering an engaging and easy way to take in some pretty important racing events.

One important factor about this racecourse is the fact that it’s using Polytack, different to the typical turf found in most racecourses in the UK. As one of just six all-weather courses in the UK, then, Lingfield stands out as one of its own. With flat racing that takes place on the turf in the summer, National Hunt races take place on the same location.

Having been open since 1890, this is quite a big part of racing history. It was opened by the then-Prince of Wales, with jump racing the primary enjoyment to begin with. This soon changed, and today it’s known as one of the best flat racing tracks in the country.

It’s been through a lot of renovations, from a gold course in the late-80s to the late 2004 grandstand improvement. The most important racing event to take place here, though, tends to be seen as the Matsunosuke race: it became the highest rated horse to win on an all-weather surface.

The horse itself was dubbed the greatest horse for all-weather tournaments of all-time, so it’s quite a feat for the racecourse to see a record owned by this incredible creature. It holds races from February to September, with a fine variety from the Cleves Stakes to the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes.