Lingfield Racecourse

12th November 2024

This was one of those depressingly few instances where I left a racecourse in profit.  Albeit a rather modest one of £7.78, which failed even to cover my entrance fee.  Still.

With an afternoon to spare before going along the road to Dorking to see Bill Bruford play in the Pete Roth Trio, the geographically convenient Lingfield Park became my destination.  

My win came with my, becoming traditional, low-risk Toteplace Treble - where I choose three race favourites to be placed in their respective races.  I am never going to become rich with this approach, but it generally maintains my interest over more than one race.  My choices were Realisation in Race 2, Metkayina in Race 3 and Vision De Maine in Race 5. 

Both my first two choices finished second in their outings, which kept my Place Treble alive - although I did find myself wondering what it says about me, that I had this success in backing second placers. 

But, despite nearly becoming a cropper at one of the fences (The eighth, I later discovered), Vision De Maine did the biz for me winning Race 5, allowing me to pick up, as the man at the Tote stall stated "forty seven quid, and some shrapnel", for my £20 bet.

I had not been able to use Race 4 in my treble, as there were only four runners.  Here we had strong favourite High Game Royal (which at 8/15, didn't seem worth betting on) andtwo rank outsiders (if there can be such a thing in a four horse race): Spike Jones (15/2) and Chloe's Court (11/1).  As no favourite had won any of the previous races at the meeting, I put my £20 on the second favourite Jatiluwih to win.  

But not only did my horse fail to win, but the favourite didn't either, with one of the unfancied pair coming through to win on the line.  Had I been bolder with my choice, my £20 would have gotten me back £170 here.  

Approaching the last race of the day, I noted two things:  The favourite was called Golden Ambition - surely a sign.  But I also noted I still had a tenner left from my initial £50 play-money kitty.  And if I added that to my winnings earlier, it meant I was £7.78 up on the day.  So, I decided, I am just going to keep my hand in my pocket and walk out of here in profit.  Which I did.  

Which made me feel rather smug until I discovered, with a grim inevitability, Golden Ambition had won Race 6 at odds of 7/4.   

 Ah, well.  Horse Racing is aw aboot Ifs, Buts 'n' Maybees.

   

I arrived at Lingfield Park just as Race 1 was starting.

Race 2

Here is my lady for Race 2, la jument française Realisation.

First loop around the track.

Hurlerontheditch just pipping my choice at the finish.

Race 3

Here we have Metkayina - an Irish one this time.

Jockey JJ Burke was on this one for me.

 

Another Irish horse It's Hard To Know won this race.
You are just going to have to take my word for it that Metkayina
finished a quarter length behind in second place.

Race 4

Only four riders in Race 4 - this is David Maxwell on Jatiluwih.

Jockey Ben Jones

Jatiluweh led first time around the track...

...but the race for the line ended up between Spike Jones (No3) and High Game Royal.
Spike Jones took first place by a short head.

Jatiluwih ambled in third.

Race 5

This is the first loop around the track, and my Vision De Maine is in the middle of this pic....

...but came on to comfortably win.

Jack Tudor and Vision De Maine

Jack Tudor.

I am not sure who is picking up the Winner's prize here.  It does not look like Caroline Tisdall.

I gave Race 6 a miss, so I could experience the rare pleasure of walking out of a racetrack in the black.