It’s been a long time between drinks for most of the six runners in this 7f Claiming Stakes at Leicester 15.10.
Top-weight Jungle Inthebungle was an even-money favourite when dropped in class to finish second at Salisbury over 7f, but hasn’t over further than the minimum 5f since a Beverley success in June 2018. A crack at the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot (when 26th of 28th) has proven ambitious now, as did a mark of 94, which has steadily fallen to 79 without success. If that trend is going to be broken here – it’ll have to be done the hard way.
There seems to be some confidence that Chains of Love can get competitive dropping back to 7f from two mediocre runs at Thirsk and Windsor over 1m. She’s shown a tendency to get behind in her races and hasn’t won since her 6f debut at York last June.
Alisia R has a lowly-rating of 34 which should tell you all you need to know, while Archies Lad best form has been over this 7f trip earlier in his career. Neither spins on the all-weather or the step up to 10f has seen him get his head in front in eight starts and is fishing to find his level.
Supporters of Haats Off will need to draw comfort from her third-placed finish at this track last September off a mark of 72. She was just a short-head off Beryl the Petal over 6f getting 3lb with Nicola Currie’s claim and in the context of Tuesday’s race was decent enough. What’s not so decent is her second-placed finish when an odds-on fav in a match at Lingfield in March before a spin in some event in Guernsey.
They say that in the land of the bling the one-eyed man is king, which brings us nicely to LADY LAVINIA who chased home Kwela and Beryl the Petal at this course a week ago.
You can argue the form of Haats Off run with Beryl the Petal is better – but that was over 6f and eight months ago. Lady Lavinia is at least on speaking terms with the winner’s enclosure having been successful in a Redcar seller as a two-year-old. Franny Norton (rode Jungle Inthebungle last time) takes over in the saddle and a reproduction of her last run will see her go close off bottom weight.
Selection: Lady Lavinia @ 11/4
*Prices correct at publication
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