VENETIA CAN BRING HOMME THE GOLD

Andy Ayres has been out and about to scour the courses for the up and coming in-form stars

LINGFIELD January 20 (standard) 1m4f handicap (Class 4) Competitive heat

AMAZING (Roger Varian) looked fitter than a butchers’ pooch but was nailed close home after testing Hollie Doyle’s biceps through the early stages. She’s still improving and will pinch another race or two before the big boys come out to play. 1m handicap (Class 3) Red-hot event TALIS EVOLVERE (Richard Hannon) looks like a Hollywood leading man and ran another belter to finish second after attempting to makeall. He’s crying out for a step-up in trip and has the raw ability to nick a decent pot. 

LINGFIELD January 21 (aw: standard to slow, turf good-soft) 2m national hunt flat (Class 2) Race run on the all-weather track 

KINGSTON PRIDE (Nicky Henderson) oozes class and was backed like a good-thing (11-8 to 8-11). He looked like landing the lolly turning for home but was outpaced in the straight and finished an honourable second. There was no disgrace in this defeat – his only previous outing had been in a 3m point-to-point – and this big boy should be followed closely. 2m6f chase (Class 2) Smart Gold Cup trial L’HOMME PRESSE (Venetia Williams) was reported to be 85-90 percent fit by connections and looked that way in the prelims. He got the job done despite being ring-rusty and has more than enough heart to be competitive in the Gold Cup. 2m3f novices’ handicap hurdle (Class 3) Above average form INTHEWATERSIDE (Paul Nicholls) was head-and-shoulders the best looker in this field and won under a canny front-running ride from Harry Cobden. He’d be competitive in one of the Cheltenham handicaps off 128 and could go to the top over fences next season.

KEMPTON January 22 (standard to slow) 7f three-year-old maiden (Class 5) Run-of-the-mill contest