Lingfield 15:55 - Class 5 1m Handicap - Key Player 7/1 - 0.5pt ew
Conditions were particularly testing over the weekend with several fixtures being forced to abandon due to large amounts of wet weather. Gordon Elliott's General Principle produced a noble performance to claim The Irish Grand National in an absolute thriller at Fairyhouse. Unfortunately three meetings today have fallen a cropper to the weather leaving us with a solitary All-Weather fixture from Southwell where my pick comes today.
Eve Johnson Houghton is trainer who enjoys sending her runners down to Lingfield with 9 winners and 18 places from her last 47 runners here in the last year. This afternoon she sends her 3-year-old gelding KEY PLAYER 7/1 to try and claim the first victory of his career.
This son of Kheleyf was last seen in December when finishing 6/10 at Wolverhampton in a class 4 race over 7f where he was slightly disappointing, however prior to that run he raced in a class 5 handicap over today's course and distance where he finished second being narrowly beaten by Rajaam. And it's this piece of form which I think could be key for this afternoon's contest. He's finished second here on both his appearances and he clearly prefers it here on the Pokytrack in oppose to the tapeta surface at Wolverhampton.
Jockey Charles Bishop will be doing the steering this afternoon and when we look into his record when teaming up with Eve Johnson Houghton at Lingfield they have a good record. Over the last year they have had 6 winners and 12 places from just the 27 runners. If Key Player is to be involved today he will have to be at his very best to get the better of the two short priced favorites. Kawasir will have to improve lots for his last run and Ostillo is stepping up in trip after only been seen on a track twice. Key Player has been nibbled at in the market this morning and at the current price of 7/1 I'm going for an each way bet as I still feel he is being overlooked.
