19 January 2024 , 16:38
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OH SO GRAND gets a confident vote to give seven opponents weight and a beating in the BetMGM Winter Oaks Fillies’ Handicap (3.10) at Lingfield Park on Saturday.
The daughter of Postponed didn’t race as a two-year-old but made up for last time in 2023, winning four of her seven races.
Oh So Grand’s record on the all-weather currently stands at three victories from four attempts.
Successful in a novice stakes at Wolverhampton in July, my selection lifted a handicap over today’s mile-and-a-quarter distance at Newcastle in October.
On the back of a 50-day break Oh So Grand had the perfect road test for this afternoon, capturing the Winter Oaks Trial by a length and a quarter from Queen Regent under Jack Mitchell.
Newsboy’s Daily Double plus tips on every race from Thursday’s four meetings
A 4lb rise in the weights for that performance could have been worse and, with a fair way to go until she reaches the bottom of the barrel, Oh So Grand can pocket the £51,540 first prize before going into Pattern company.
DIOMED SPIRIT is fancied to rack up a five-timer with a victory in the Build Your Acca With BetUK Handicap (2.35).
The Stuart Williams-saddled son of Charm Spirit hasn’t looked back since making his return to the all-weather at Wolverhampton in October.
Success in a five-furlong handicap that evening doubled Diomed Spirit’s career tally, and he has since gone twice at Chelmsford City and back at Dunstall Park 13 days ago.
The way my selection came through to beat Moon Flight by half a length confirmed Hollie Doyle’s mount to be a sprinter still on the up and a 3lb rise in the weights looks within range.
Doyle rides favourite Amazing in the Boost Your Acca-Fenwa With BetUK Handicap (1.25), but there’s each-way value in SAX APPEAL .
The Charlie Johnston trainee was off games for 306 days – he was gelded during his absence – an eight-of-13 finish at Kempton Park five days before Christmas.
But Sax Appeal looked promising when capturing a novice stakes at Southwell last January - he ran second under a penalty at the same track the following month – and it’s early days to be writing him off.
He has rediscovered the magic touch since joining Daniel and Claire Kübler, and AL RUFAA looks sure to give another good account of himself in the Bet £10 Get £40 At BetMGM Handicap (2.00).
A four-time winner in the hands of John and Thady Gosden, Kingman’s son then embarked on a losing sequence of 16 races, including four defeats following a move to Charlie Fellowes.
Newsboy’s Daily Double plus tips on every race from Friday’s four meetings
But Al Rufaa stepped forward from his debut for the Kübler team, at Kempton Park on November 1, to score by two and three-quarter lengths from Power Of Darkness at Wolverhampton 16 days later.
The seven-year-old raced too keenly amid a slow early gallop at Southwell a further week on, but his current British Horseracing Authority mark of 89 is still a long way short of his peak figure of 105.
Saturday racing tips
LINGFIELD PARK
12.15 SANDY PARADISE
12.50 PHOTOSYNTHESIS
1.25 SAX APPEAL
2.00 AL RUFAA
2.35 DIOMED SPIRIT (NAP)
3.10 OH SO GRAND (NB)
3.45 AFRICAN STAR
NAVAN
12.45 BETTER DAYS AHEAD
1.20 DR EGGMAN
1.55 FORTUNEDEFORTUNATA
2.30 PENNY JAR
3.05 SANDOR CLEGANE
3.42 ROCHESTOWN
4.15 TRIM CASTLE
WOLVERHAMPTON
4.25 CIRCLES
5.00 HYRCANIAN
5.30 ROMAN CROWN
6.00 GERROTS
6.30 ENGLISH SPIRIT
7.00 JUMEIRA VISION
7.30 FOOTSY
8.00 Q TWENTY BOY
8.30 MONSIEUR FANTAISIE
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