ETON TO SCHOOL OPPOSITION

16:00 Lingfield

An unusual race for ITV to cover as it is just a 4-runner race. That being said a case can be made for all runners. Turn On The Charm trained by James Fanshawe is the favourite and has been well supported since markets opened. He was 4th to Astro King on his seasonal return at Nottingham. He was progressive last year and is the type his stable tends to do well with. He was unlikely to have been fully wound up for his reappearance and can come on for that run.

Eton College is trained by Mark Johnston, he won on his reappearance coming from the rear to win over 7f at Musselburgh. Those same tactics were unsuited to Newmarket where nothing was winning from behind. He is 4lb higher than for his win at Musselburgh but won at Leicester off the same mark last year.

Asad has not run on turf for two years, he won at Chelmsford in December and again ran well there last time, the extra half furlong on rain softened ground may not be in his favour here.

Love Dreams won a Seller at Wolverhampton last time and is another who has run predominantly on the All Weather, he had previously run well in a handicap at Kempton. This is a better race than the seller he won but he is very well handicapped on old form and cannot be ruled out.

Despite the small field non can be totally ruled out, Turn On The Charm is likely to end up the best of these but his stable do bring them along gradually and given he is a short price it may be worth siding with the Johnston runner Eton College. He has won off his current mark and has shown an ability to run well on soft ground which may be important given the forecast. Jockey Ben Curtis has struck up a decent partnership with Mark Johnstone and has a 23% strike rate this year for the Yorkshire based trainer, he can add to that here.

ETON COLLEGE (WIN)

written by Steve Marriott