The Bettingsites.co.uk Winter Million Lingfield tips come at their ITV-covered Sunday jumps card, where racegoers will be rewarded with some big names running at the Surrey track. Including the return on former Cheltenham Festival winner L’Homme Presse, who was last seen unseating in the 2022 King George VI Chase.
Winter Million Lingfield Tips On Sunday: All Eyes On L’Homme Presse In Fleur De Lys Chase Reappearance
1:15 Download The Racing App Lightning Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) Cl1 (5yo+) 2m ITV3
Just the five runners here, but they all look to have a chance. Recent winners Pembroke and Master Chewy can go well, while Matata and JPR One certainly have the form in the book to stake a claim. However, the Venetia Williams yard have a decent 29% SR with their chasers at Lingers and jockey Charlie Deutsch an even better 38% – they team-up with prolific winner DJELO.
This 6 year-old comes here at the top of his game too, having won his last three, with the best of those last time out when taking the G2 Howden Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot by 6 lengths. This looks slightly more competitive, but he’s a fast-improving chaser that looks worth sticking with.
1:50 Download The Racing App Godstone Handicap Chase (GBB Race) Cl2 (5yo+) 2m ITV3
Another good chance for the Venetia Williams yard here with Frero Banbou, who also won this race the last time it was run in 2022. We’ve also got an Irish raider in The King Of Prs for Gavin Cromwell, who gets in here with a featherweight (10-2). First Flow and Triple Trade are other proven course winners, but the former is now aged 12 and not won since 2021.
Dan Skelton has a 33% SR with his chasers here and runs Real Stone, but it’s hard to ignore the 67% return the Jane Williams camp have over fences at the Surry track.
They run SAINT SEGAL, who looked to have a big chance last time at Ascot until falling two out. Connections have given him two months to get over that tumble and he’s taken to make amends.
2:25 Weatherbys Hamilton Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 2m7f ITV3
Many chances here, which include recent winners Nurse Susan, Moka De Vassy and Classic Concorde. Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies gets the leg-up on Gowel Road, who will like the ground, for his dad, but the worry here is that STD is currently 0-19 over hurdles here.
But this could be one for trainer Nicky Henderson and jockey Nico de Boinville, who is back from injury as this meeting, with the consistent BOLD ENDEAVOUR. This 8 year-old ran well to be runner-up to a fair sort in White Rhino at Cheltenham last month, but with the jockey that day (Freddie Gordon) dropping his whip things could have been better.
With de Boinville taking over and having a solid record on the horse – 1-1-2-5-2-3, then all looks in place for another solid run from this top-rated 8 year-old in the race.
3:00 Fitzdares Fleur De Lys Chase (GBB Race) Cl2 (5yo+) 2m6f ITV3
The star of the show on the Lingfield Winter Million Sunday card is L’HOMME PRESSE and if back to his best will be very hard to beat. Yes, he’s not been out since unseating Charlie Deutsch in the 2022 King George VI Chase at Kempton but is still only 9 and this looks a nice race for him to get back into the swing of things before a possible tilt at the Gold Cup.
The former Cheltenham Festival winner has got a good record fresh too – having won before off 773, 223 and 232 days off and will also get a handy 4lbs from the second to-rated in the field Protektorat.
3:35 Fitzdares Surrey National Handicap Chase Cl3 (5yo+ 0-135) 3m5f ITV3
The longest race on the card sees 14 runners heading to post for the Surrey National over 3m5f. Of course, stamina will be the order of the day here, as well as form on softer ground. Movethechains is a former course winner, but he’ll need to brush up his jumping after a poor display last time out in that department (UR).
We’ve had four past runnings of the race and we are yet to see a successful favourite – with all winners returning 13/2 or bigger. 75% of these winners have also been aged 9+ and carried 11-3+, so with that in mind the Ben Case topweight FERN HILL ticks a lot of boxes.
He was last seen running third to Nassalam in the Welsh National Trial at Chepstow in December (beaten just 6 1/4 lengths) and the form of that run got a huge boost with the winner going onto take the main event over Christmas. This 9 year-old has since had a wind operation and has also been dropped a pound. The experienced Daryl Jacob takes over in the saddle.
Of the rest, Hold That Taught will be popular as he’s on a three-timer, while Blade Runner, despite only being 7, looks an improving stayer for the Jonjo O’Neill outfit.
