Get In The Pink With Honeyball Hurdler

Mare Set For Another Win With Conditions To Suit

The going is, unsurprisingly, heavy at Lingfield today but one that will definitely handle it is LILY THE PINK in the Davies Insurance Services Mares’ Maiden Hurdle over two and a half miles.

Although the event is for maidens the mare has actually won two races, one in the point-to-point field and the other in a National Hunt Flat Race.

Add that she went down by under a length in another bumper on very deep ground at Fontwell and that she is by Malinas, whose progeny have an 18% strike win rate on such going, and optimism that she will perform well today for trainer Anthony Honeyball looks well-founded.

She has had one run over hurdles – again at Fontwell, last May – and ran well to be fourth, beaten 10 lengths by Some Day Soon.

That horse then ran up a hat-trick before contesting last week’s Grade 2 Ballymore hurdle at Cheltenham where he was beaten less than six lengths by possible juvenile champion Thyme Hill.

She was tapped for speed in that contest and jumped right, and it is hoped that putting Aidan Coleman up will sort that tendency.

The progeny of Malinas are one from two at LINGFIELD.

EASTER GOLD is the favourite and obvious danger and comes to the race after a wind operation.

She has run well without threatening to win in a couple of bumper races, finishing with a 13 lengths seventh in a Class 1 at Sandown last March.

Her one hurdle race produced a 12 lengths fourth to Hotter Than Hell but that was the latter’s only win and she’s disappointed since.

Easter Gold does go on the going as shown by her photo finish defeat on her debut and her sire’s return over the distance is 12% – decent, if not absolutely persuasive.

MIDNIGHTREFLECTION is second on BTO ratings and her sire, MIDNIGHT LEGEND has had a nice five winners from 27 runners at today’s course.

DELIGHT OF DUBAI won a point-to-point event but Lily The Pink is best on form and stats, and can be backed at 10/3 with Hills and BetVictor.

G Lees

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