17:45 Newcastle – Lexington Times @ 4/1
When this horse won a listed race for the powerful Richard Hannon stable back in March 2015, connections probably didn’t expect him to be contesting Class 4 handicaps on the all-weather less than two years on, but that’s just the way it goes sometimes.
Despite failing to win since landing that valuable event at Lingfield nearly two years ago, the five-year-old has shaped with promise on numerous occasions and is looking more and more a winner in waiting from an ever-falling mark.
Off what is now a handicap rating of 79 (previously won off 98) the assessor continues to give Lexington Times every chance of returning to the winners enclosure, and, judging by his performances of late, he really ought to be back there before long.
Last time out, in better race than this, the gelding ran very creditably over today’s trip at Lingfield, despite meeting with traffic for most of the home straight. In fact, with a clear run, you’d have to imagine he would have gone very close indeed.
Jockey, trainer and connections will probably have felt hard done by last time out, but if ever there was a race to make up for a missed opportunity, then this is it. In what really is the weakest handicap he’s faced in his career to date, Lexington Times has an excellent opportunity to gain another victory and, at odds of 4/1, looks a good bet to do just that.
See all of Friday’s tips here.