Timeform UK SmartPlays: Thursday December 6

Brian Ellison: Trainer of Alaskan Bullet.

With Market Rasen already abandoned and second inspections called for both Leicester and Wincanton, the Timeform SmartPlays team opt to head to Lingfield...

We get underway in the 14:25, where Muhandis has to be respected following his narrow defeat over C&D on his most recent start last month. However the four-year-old often starts slowly and the temptation is to take him on with the Sylvester Kirk-trained The Noble Ord, who has slipped in the weights and hinted at a revival at Wolverhampton last time. The three-year-old has finished in the frame on four occasions at distances up to a mile this year but his form dipped when tried over further in the autumn. His latest effort was a definite step back in the right direction as he finished fourth and, with that form receiving a couple of boosts since with both the winner and the third winning on their next starts, The Noble Ord is taken to land the spoils here. 

Lingfield's 14:25 is a decent handicap sprint with a number making some sort of appeal but it may be worth taking a chance on the returning Mezzotint who, in his short career, has developed an excellent record on polytrack. The three-year-old, who finished second to the smart Aljamaaheer on debut last year, has raced on the surface four times, recording a brace of wins alongside two second-placed efforts, and his win on the turf at Windsor when last seen in June matched the pick of his all-weather efforts. Essentially he is a progressive performer and could do better yet. 

The 14:55 is another intriguing sprint handicap, with the top-weight Moorhouse Lad of definite interest as he drops in grade. The one to side with however is Alaskan Bullet, who matched the pick of his form for Michael Bell when winning a seller decisively at Wolverhampton last month and fared the best of those held-up when third to York Glory, back in a handicap, on his subsequent start. The draw could have been kinder but Alaskan Bullet is worthy of serious consideration nonetheless. 

Timeform SmartPlays
All at Lingfield
Back The Noble Ord @ 5.85/1 in the 12:55
Back Mezzotint @ 3.412/5 in the 14:25
Back Alaskan Bullet @ 4.57/2 in the 14:55

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