1:50 Lingfield Tips

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Not a guaranteed stayer on pedigree and dam was a 2-miler but shapes as if will stay well. Won on Chase debut at Aintree and needed all of the long straight there to get home and win close to the end. Disappointing next start at Sandown when a fancied favourite but can excuse that effort as was a strong race and form is working out okay, as plenty have come and placed in good races. Was a good hurdler and beat the smart Wellington Arch who went on to win a competitive hurdle at Aintree that I've been following closely as the form keeps stacking up. Lightly raced and won his maiden hurdle at the track on heavy ground and we know it gets very testing here so must have some stamina. Yard continue in good form with no less than 6 winners alone from the 11 they sent out yesterday. If stays this far must be an EW knocker bet as looks as if will make a nice staying chaser.

Remarkably effective at this distance, which is deemed her specialist trip, where her stamina gives her a notable edge. Her best career win was achieved at this distance in the 2024 Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick. She has shown consistent form in rigorous stamina challenges, including a 2nd-place finish at Haydock and a 3rd-place in the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter. Now at the age of 10, she continues to be a strong stayer and is proven at longer distances, recently finishing 2nd in the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase in December, and appears to be a reliable each-way option at 7/1.

On the evidence of yesterday's winner Neo King, I think we can mark up Catch Catchfire's run in the Borders National at Kelso the run before last. He's lighter in the weights for this one, and the stable is in top form. Neo King was a winner at Windsor yesterday and finished level with this one in that contest, so that upgrades the Kelso appearance for me.

Surrey Quest has been kept to hurdling this season with three poor runs in handicap hurdles. He has been a decent staying chaser in previous seasons, placed twice last season, and had two wins and a second place in the Scottish National the season before. He could bounce back now that he has been dropped a few pounds in the handicap.

Invincible Nao is a D winner . Won off a 2 lb lower mark at Sandown on his penultimate start . Won three times on today's ground .Trainer has a 26 % win rate ( + 25 LSP ) with chasers at this track in last 5 years .Regular jockey Caoilin Quinn will take the ride ,this can be a plus he won four times with this gelding. He has the potential to put another solid performance in this stronger race .EW bet .

Val Dancer will relish this 3m4f trip, having won the Welsh National in 2024. He has only raced three times since that success but was third last month in the Becher Chase at Aintree. Off the same mark here, he looks like a good each-way bet with five places on offer.

Having won his last race, Art Decco has to contend with a seven-pound rise. His win at Exeter was over a slightly longer trip than today and was his second win in three races. In his racing career he has won six chase races with differing underfoot conditions. These include soft and good-to-soft, so he should be fine with today's ground conditions. He carries eleven stone and thirteen pounds, which is a weight he has won with before. With today's race over a slightly longer distance he could well improve again for the extra distance, so a top-five finish looks very possible.

Odds look a little big here for a Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden combi, but I'll chance this progressive-looking Makinyourmindup EW for at least a place as it would have certainly needed that opening run.

Won this race 12 months ago off 115. Today rated 114. Has been mixxing it at Class 2 company and has found life tough. A return to Lingfield in a race that he knows could see him bounce back to winning ways and at 14/1, for a proven stayer, off a competitive mark, I believe he can prove his worth once more.

This is really a contest that should be left alone, as it will be an attritional 29f slog in soft ground. It could go to any of the 15 runners, but I like horses carrying light weights in these marathons, and Ali Star Bert does just that. He has won the last twice in Nov and Dec, and with a 7lb claim he receives considerable weight from all. Top weight carries 12 st and my selection is in here off 9st 9lb.

Ivane has had a good year with four wins and placed seven times out of thirteen runs since changing yards to James Owen back in March. Although a bit heavier than I would like, he was a decent second last month at 3m3f in C3. He gets J. J. Burke back in the saddle, who was on top for the latest win in October in a C2 at 3m5f (EW 5P).