Timeform Radio Tips: Ray to re-ward punters

David Simcock: Trainer of Ray Ward.

David Cleary highlights a couple of selections on today's card at Lingfield...

The final day of the Chester May meeting is the highlight of a frantic Friday, though yesterday's rain has thrown a spanner in the works, connections' perception of how soft the ground is as much of a problem as how much softer the ground actually is than when the runners were declared. In the circumstances, it may be better to concentrate on the afternoon's other Flat meeting, at Lingfield.

The opening classified stakes at 14:05 is, on the face of it, a tricky conundrum. There are six due to line up over a mile and a quarter on turf. Of the sextet, only one has run at the trip before and all but one of them have gained their wins on polytrack; two of the field are making their turf debut.

Beat of The Drum has so far raced only at a mile, showing improved form when switched to polytrack last time, when she got a good ride in a tactical race. She will probably stay the longer trip, her sire Duke of Marmalade shaping up as an influence for stamina, but she isn't certain to. Of Course Darling is much more likely to be suited by the longer distance, though she is another who showed improved form under a good ride to win on her polytrack debut last time. Her turf runs have all been in the mud, so this afternoon's much less testing ground is an unknown.

The one horse proven at the trip is Ray Ward. He has raced solely on the all-weather so far, much improved when winning here in January on his second start, and that despite hanging badly right, a tendency hopefully put down to inexperience. Ray Ward is about the best bred in the field, his pedigree suggesting he'll be at least as good on turf, and is likely to get a positive ride, so he makes the most appeal, hopefully adding another win to the good recent form of his stable.

On the face of it, Woolfall Sovereign has had enough chances on turf to show that he's nowhere near so good on it as he is on the all-weather (and principally on polytrack). However, it may be worth giving him one last chance in the five-furlong handicap at 16:15, given a good draw and conditions which he hasn't faced previously on this surface. Better than ever dropped to five furlongs this winter, his turf runs have been on soft ground or over much further.    

Timeform Radio Tips:
Both at Lingfield
Back Ray Ward @ 4.67/2 in the 14:05
Back Woolfall Sovereign @ 8.615/2 in the 16:15

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