Twelve two-year-olds take part, the majority lightly race, two debutantes. Three fillies take on the colts.
Three horses make most appeal.
Spillway, a son of Rail Link, made an eye-catching debut at Kempton when racing over a mile. A relatively cheap purchase at 10,000gns, Eve Johnson Houghton's charge was a 50/1 shot in a similar race type. This bay colt didn't look like being competitive for most of that event but ran down the home straight with real purpose, losing by three lengths and giving the impression there would be further improvement.
The fifth has since won to given the form some substance and beating one of today's rivals, Lion Beacon, with some authority. Johnson Houghton's juveniles rarely win when racing on their racecourse bow but feature fair statistics on their second start. He has been off course for just under a month and must have each way claims.
*Too Difficult is one of three fillies in this line-up. This chestnut filly was a cheap purchase at 20,000euros for the affluent Fitri Hay team. This daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar is no shrinking violet and a big lump of a horse. She was pretty fancied on testing ground at Yarmouth over this distance. That was probably no more than an average race although it turned into a duel from some way out when finishing second. Andrew Balding's juvenile can vary from one extreme to the other but the stable can win on debut. The hood was most likely applied to concentrate the mind because she looked rather clumsy than unfit. A slow start didn't help her cause but Spencer soon had this chestnut filly in contention. There were distinct signs of inexperience but she lacked nothing for trying and held every chance in the final two furlongs. Spencer didn't hold back in administering a number of hefty cracks of the whip but to no avail. The hood remains and after a couple of months on the sidelines a wiser horse should appear. A wide draw isn't ideal, especially if a little tardy from the stalls. From a statistical point of view this filly has strong win and place claims.
Probably the most encouraging factor about Rainford Glory is that he was relatively fancied on debut when running at Wolverhampton over nine furlongs. This gelding runs in Dr Marwan Koukash's colours and a butty type. Ed Dunlop is a cracking trainer on the all-weather courses, especially Lingfield. This gelding is a tricky horse to assess because he was never competitive on debut, although made slight headway in the closing stages. The betting is the best indicator to this horse's chance. If starting at 13/2 & less (SP) I would expect a bold show.
Conclusion: Too Difficult looks a sound each way selection if prices allow and could take the beating. The main concern is the wide draw and she certainly wouldn't want a tardy start as seen on debut at Yarmouth. After a couple of months to brush away those cobwebs, Spencer should know enough to make the most of this opportunity.
*NR