Linger

Linger put up a nice performance to win the 1m 6f handicap.

Dropped in towards the rear of the field from his wide draw, Joseph O’Brien’s horse settled nicely for Wayne Lordan through the early stages of the race. No better than midfield as they started to turn for home, but travelling noticeably well, he made nice ground to the 2f marker out in the centre of the track. He picked up nicely from there to join leader at the 1f marker, and he stayed on really nicely under just a hands-and-heels ride to get home by a length from Molly Kaye, who in turn pulled six lengths clear of the rest of the field.

There was a lot to like about this performance from the Cape Cross gelding. Visually, it was impressive, and he clocked a time that was over a second and a half faster than the time that True Self clocked in winning the Listed Vintage Tipple Stakes over the same course and distance a half an hour earlier. Also, this was Linger’s seasonal debut, his first run since last November and it was his first run for Joseph O’Brien, so there is every chance that he can improve on this.

The handicapper will obviously have his say now, but hopefully he won’t go bananas, it was only a 0-70 handicap and he only won by just over a length. He was racing off a low mark of 49, and this was just his sixth run on the flat, so he has the potential to go higher now. A three-time winner for Shark Hanlon as a juvenile hurdler, he obviously has ability, he was sent off as second favourite for the 2017 Fred Winter Hurdle at Cheltenham when he was racing off a mark of 132. He will be of interest in another staying flat race now, and his trainer said that he could go back over hurdles and fences again now.

Gowran Park, 8^th May 2019