(Premio Loco (left) can have us going mad with delight)
Premio Loco looks a cut above his rivals in the feature race, the Group 3 Winter Derby over 10 furlongs, Chris Wall's 8 year old is a proven Group 2 performer & can show his class here even though he carries a penalty for winning at that level last year. Premio Loco has raced over the distance just once, when coming second in this contest by a nose in 2009 & tends to be a 7 furlongs to a mile specialist but we think that with a good waiting ride from all-weather specialist jockey George Baker he'll take some stopping. There aren't too many worries about this being Premio Loco's seasonal debut as he's managed five wins first time up after a 60 day break. He carries a five pound penalty for winning a Group 2 at Doncaster last September but only one rival hre is rated within half a stone & that is William Haggas's mare Soorah, on a mark of 108 courtesy of a win in Dubai, that mark may be a little inflated as she's only ever got as high as 98 on UK form & she doesn't tend to get her head in front too often. Richard Hannon gets his horses flying early in the season & that means that Cai Shen is a contender although the Iffraaj colt would need to improve a little on his form last year. Black Spirit's form is similar to Cai Shen's he finished just behind that one in a conditions race last year but was giving 3 pounds to the younger horse & with just to wins from 12 runs we aren't keen. Premio Loco has been running in good Group 2's & 3's for years & has proven class, he doesn't seem to be slowing with age & although the trip is a slight concern, that's the only negative for us & odds of 5/1 look pretty good for the win.
(Noble Storm lines up at Lingfield's 2.55 & can wreak havoc on the Surrey track)
The Listed Hever Sprint at 2.55 sees a great renewal with plenty of quality sprinters lining up for what should be a really exciting race, Bordelescott is the class animal here as he's a two time winner of the Group 1 Nunthorpe but at 10 years old time may finally be catching up to Robin Bastiman's great servant, the little horse managed just 3 runs last year but didn't manage a place. Oasis Dancer has been making hay since being tried on the all-weather, coming 2nd at Kempton in December before winning 3 on the bounce, starting at Wolverhampton & then twice here, whilst those have been impressive he's never even raced over this minimum distance of 5 furlongs, let alone won & could be in trouble against the specialists. The horse we like is Ed McMahon's Noble Storm who is a real 5 furlong specialist with 8 wins over the distance including a rout in a Listed race at Haydock in May of lst year. Noble Storm has something that many sprinters don't & that is consistency, in 27 lifetime runs he's come in the top 3 places 18 times, so two thirds of the time he's picked up place money at the least. Medicean Man is another nice type although we have a suspicion that a mark of 108 slightly flatters Jeremy Gask's gelding, when stepped up to Group company at the end of 2011 he was deep back in the pack in two races won by Deacon Blues. The fly in the ointment could be Robert Cowell's Italian import Spirit Quartz, having its first UK start, but overall we're more than happy to side with Noble Storm - this is a horse that started 7/2 favourite for a Group 2 last year & gained two wins & a 2nd from his four races in 2011.
Selections:
Lingfield 2.55 - Noble Storm to win at 9/2
Lingfield 3.25 - Premio Loco to win at 5/1
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