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Horse Racing

Sea Theme can show her class at Lingfield

November 2024

Sea Theme can give William Haggas and Billy Loughnane a nice winner courtesy of the BetMGM River Eden EBF Fillies' Stakes at Lingfield on Wednesday.

On paper, this Listed affair represents her easiest task for some while. Two previous runs at this level have both resulted in victory, otherwise it has been a case of the four-year-old mixing it with the best in Pattern-race company.

The most recent example of that was in the Fillies & Mares at Ascot on Champions Day, where she finished mid-division, and before that it was the Prix de Royallieu on Arc weekend and the Yorkshire Oaks.

Although not troubling the judge in those assignments, neither was she disgraced and if she takes to Polytrack, anything like her best form must see her firmly involved at the finish.

Haggas may well complete a Listed double in the following BetMGM Fleur De Lys EBF Fillies' Stakes, with Doom expected to bounce back to form.

A daughter of Dubawi out of Breeders' Cup heroine Dank, this four-year-old ran some excellent races in defeat earlier in the campaign.

She was beaten just a length in the Group Three Athasi Stakes in Ireland on her seasonal bow before finishing third in the Duke of Cambridge at Royal Ascot and second in the Valiant Stakes at the Berkshire circuit the following month.

She disappointed in Sandown's Atalanta Stakes in late August and also ran below her best in a soft-ground Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster on her most recent outing.

Perhaps a short break and a switch to the all-weather can relight the flame.

Al Shababi looked a future winner when just touched off on his debut and can confirm that promise in division one of the BetMGM: It's Showtime/EBF Novice Stakes.

Owen Burrows' charge moved with promise in the middle of the pack at Kempton last month and threw down a strong challenge on the far rail from the cut-away.

But the more experienced short-priced favourite Hott Shott - who had been fifth in the Solario Stakes the time before - just had a bit too much for him at the line, with 0.75-lengths the margin of defeat.

Al Shababi can only improve for that and the extra 200m he faces here should not be a hindrance.

Two-year-old winners for Sir Mark Prescott are rare enough, never mind first time out, so Immediate Effect must be pretty useful to get off the mark at the first time of asking, making him worth following in the Weekly Free Bets With BetMGM Extra Restricted Novice Stakes at Southwell.

Even more impressive about that win at Wolverhampton was what he had to overcome to do it, being slowly away, racing wide and then wandering about when getting to the front.

Lucinda Russell rarely leaves Ayr without a winner and it will be interesting to see how her Evaluation fares on his jumping bow in the Scottish track's Virgin Bet Novices' Hurdle.

The six-year-old brings some good Flat form to the table, most notably picking up the silver medal behind Onesmoothoperator in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle a few months ago.

While his rivals have all run under National Hunt rules already, none have shown a great deal, so this looks a good opportunity for Evaluation to make a successful start.

Irish raider Shecouldbeanything can put her experience to good use in the Yorton Mares' Novices' Chase at Bangor.

Gordon Elliott's inmate has run four times over fences, with a runner-up finish on her Galway debut followed by a hat-trick of wins.

She carries a penalty for a Grade Three success at Tipperary on her penultimate outing and has to give weight to some talented opponents as a result, but should be up to the task. - Press Association

TAB is betting on 4 UK meetings on Wednesday. Here are the tips.

LINGFIELD: Race 1: 13.35 Star Pupil, Race 2: 14.05 Sun Dancer Girl, Race 3: 14.35 Al Shababi, Race 4: 15.05 Charming Life, Race 5: 15.37 Local Hero, Race 6: 16.07 SEA THEME (NAP), Race 7: 16.40 Doom, Race 8: 17.15 Hitched, Race 9: 17.50 Recon Mission.

BANGOR: Race 1: 14.25 Jagwar, Race 2: 14.55 Shecouldbeanything, Race 3: 15.25 Regal Blue, Race 4: 15.55 Do It Again, Race 5: 16.25 Junker d'Allier, Race 6: 17.00 Doctor Kildare, Race 7: 17.35 Jungle Jack, Race 8: 18.05 Carrig Kate.

AYR: Race 1: 14.45 Kandor, Race 2: 15.15 Evaluation, Race 3: 15.45 Summergrounds, Race 4: 16.15 No Regrets, Race 5: 16.50 Fourofakind, Race 6: 17.25 Castle Carrock.

SOUTHWELL: Race 1: 18.30 Immediate Effect, Race 2: 19.00 Apeeling, Race 3: 19.30 President Wilson, Race 4: 20.00 Beraz, Race 5: 20.30 Rose Light, Race 6: 21.00 Stroxx, Race 7: 21.30 Sir Joseph Swan, Race 8: 22.00 My Boy Jack, Race 9: 22.30 Piperstown.

ALL TO COME: Al Shababi and Sea Theme (Lingfield, Races 3 and 6).

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