One all-weather Flat meeting and two jumping fixtures give tomorrow's racing a decidedly back-end look, but Kieren Fallon will not be too bothered as he puts the finishing touches to his sixth jockeys' championship.
With the Flat title in the bag some time ago, Fallon can now coast home in the knowledge that, come Doncaster on Saturday week, he will be crowned champion yet again.
But the former Norton-based rider is nothing if not hard-working and he heads to Lingfield tomorrow with every chance of adding to his 200-plus winners.
Anyhow is Fallon's mount in the Christmas Parties At Lingfield Handicap, and the in-form six-year-old looks sure to give him a good ride.
Winner of his last two starts, including one over this course and distance, Anyhow, trained by Karen George, has excellent prospects of obliging again.
Maiden races feature prominently at the Surrey venue and Incheni takes the eye in the Customnet Broadband Cedar Maiden Fillies' Stake.
Geoff Wragg's juvenile showed promise on her debut and looks the type to step up considerably with experience.
Sweestet Revenge looks the one to be on in the NE Computing Conditions Stakes. Mark Usher's two-year-old is a previous winner on this course, which will stand her in good stead tomorrow.
The feature race at Lingfield is the £15,000 ladbrokes.com Showcase Handicap Final, and here it could be worth relying on the James Fanshawe-Jamie Spencer combination.
The duo have posted any number of winners in the last couple of months, and nap selection Vindication, successful in his last two starts, makes plenty of appeal in this seven-furlongs dash.
Sangiovese shaped well at Southwell on his belated seasonal reappearance nine days ago. Hughie Morrison's charge should not be overlooked in the Capetman London Limited Classified Stakes. Steve Drowne has the mount on the four-year-old.
Over the sticks at Stratford, Edition Francaise can make a successful reappearance in the Butler Sherborn Maiden Hurdle.
The five-year-old, trained by Paul Nicholls, is a recruit from France and is held in high regard in the Somerset yard. Never seen before in Britain, he can make a triumphant debut.
Bonus Bridge, a model of consistency, can get his head in front in the Palm Products Novices' Chase.
This two and half miles event has cut up to just four runners.
Jivaros ended last season on a winning note and Henry Daly's gelding can kick off the new campaign in a smiliar vein in the Carter Jonas Handicap Chase.
Thursday's tips:
Lingfield
1-00 Incheni, 1-30 Grandalea, 2-00 Sweetest Revenge, 2-30 Count Dracula, 3-00 Sangiovese, 3-30 Vindication (NAP), 4-00 Anyhow
Stratford
1-40 Nandoo, 2-10 Bonus Bridge, 2-40 Edition Francaise, 3-10 Dante's Battle, 3-40 Jivaros, 4-10 Peeyoutwo
Tomorrow's other meeting is at Towcester
Updated: 12:25 Wednesday, October 29, 2003
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