2019 10 31 Stratford Lingfield Thursday 31st Oct

Horse racing ideas: Stratford and Lingfield, Thursday thirty first Oct

Stratford stage a high quality and probably informative novices chase on Thursday, and Lingfield present two Listed races amongst their seven occasions on the Flat

There might only be five contenders for the Charlotte Cole Memorial Beginners’ Chase (Stratford 2:20), but there will be plenty of interest in this 2m5f contest with Tom George’s Black Op as he makes his seasonal reappearance.

The eight-year-old was a superb second to the high-class Samcro on the 2018 Cheltenham Festival, then went one higher a quantity of weeks later landing the Grade 1 Online Casino Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

Expected to take high rank in the novice chase sphere final marketing campaign, things didn’t pan out too properly for the gelded son of Sandmason who solely managed third on both makes an attempt over larger obstacles. He then switched back to hurdles and ran third behind Paisley Park in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham, previous to running poorly on his ultimate two outings of the campaign.

George’s good kind underwent wind surgical procedure this summer season, and if that has carried out the trick and his respiratory is now clear he could yet show himself a novice chaser to reckon with.

Black Op should be ready to roll at Stratford although as he faces two useful rivals. Rebecca Curtis’ Lisnagar Oscar (Stratford 2:20 NAP) won the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices Hurdle at Haydock in February over three miles, then ended the time period working a fantastic third to the highly regarded Champ in the Grade 1 Doom Bar Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

The Oscar gelding made a promising begin to his chasing career at Chepstow a couple of weeks in the past on his seasonal bow when failing by only a neck to beat Ardlethen, having made a howler of a mistake at the ultimate fence when appearing to have the race at his mercy. He would probably have got back up in another few strides and appears good at 10/11 with Paddy Power.

With fitness guaranteed and the yard having despatched out a formidable three winners from their final 5 runners, Lisnagar Oscar is taken to beat each Black Op and Mr Antolini, the latter having additionally proven useful form over hurdles last term.

Switching code to Lingfield, and it is uncommon to see Aidan O’Brien sending one over to run on the Polytrack, however his sensible Delphinia (Lingfield three:35 NB) looks to have been found a golden opportunity to get a win on the board this term having gone shut at a lot larger level of late.

The daughter of Galileo failed by only a short-head to win the Grade 2 Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster final month, then was a fine runner-up to Anapurna within the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp. She once more ran her heart out when overwhelmed by just a short-head by Star Catcher in the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot 12 days in the past.

As lengthy as she is recovered from those exertions, 8/15 Delphinia ought to take some stopping down in Listed firm. The unexposed Godolphin filly Expression may give her most to do.

And on Thursday evening, Owen Burrows’ Dawaaween (Kempton 7:10) seems the most effective guess on the cardboard at 7/4. She confirmed slightly promise in three begins earlier this term, but returned in great heart after a summer break and received with a lot to spare on her handicap bow over course and distance a few weeks ago. 

She looks greater than up to dealing with a 5lb larger mark and could be able to holding her own in better company before too long.

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