Ross Millar's weekend reflections plus top tips for Monday

I must confess that I didn’t feel ready for the Flat season to begin on Saturday. However, while the slow-motion finishes – more resemblant of three-mile chase finishes – did little to stir my appetite, the stories attached to the racing certainly did.

The victory of Doddie’s Impact in the Brocklesby Stakes quelled any concerns pessimists may have had about the ability of teenager Billy Loughnane to transfer his red-hot form from the all-weather to the turf.

It also provided a great story given that the owners, Cross Channel Racing, named him after Scottish Rugby legend, Doddie Weir, with 50 per cent of any prize money won going to funds to help fight Motor Neurone Disease.

An apprentice also claimed the feature race of the day, the Lincoln, with its boosted prize fund of £150,000. Benoit De La Sayette was coolness personified as he delivered the top weight Migration with a daring late run up the rail to collar Awaal close to the line.

Winning a prestige handicap off top-weight and with an older horse goes against the perceived trends as did the fact that the winner came up the stands’ rail, with the majority of the previous Lincoln winners racing up the middle or against the far-side rail.

I’m sure this turnaround is down to the poor grass-cover that the course had made reference to in the build-up to the race. The unseasonably dry weather this winter has caused issues for National Hunt racing this season and may well do for the start of the Flat season. I certainly will be giving less consideration to the perceived draw bias on a number of tracks.

It’s back to the jumps on Monday with a good card at Ludlow. Which you can watch live on Racing TV. I have three selections.

Magical Maggie sets a decent standard in this but has failed to fire in her past two starts, albeit in Listed company on her last start. By contrast, Gaye Legacy has shown notable improvement for each of her three starts over hurdles, culminating with a strong effort when narrowly denied at Warwick last time. The winner of that race, King Of Brazil, franked that form, to some degree, with a good third place in a deeper race at Newbury on his next start.

Trainer Tom Symonds has had a quiet season as he rebuilds with a young team of horses after the sale of stable star Song For Someone at the end of last season. However, he has hit a rich vein of form in the last fortnight with two winners from his past six runners.

Gaye Legacy hails from a stoutly bred National Hunt family containing Simon winner of The Racing Post chase when trained by the late John Spearing. She’ll most certainly be better over further in time but on soft ground I fancy this progressive filly to add to her trainer’s good recent run of form.

I’m staggered to see this Dan Skelton trained mare priced up at odds-against given the strength of her second-placed effort over course and distance last time.

On that occasion, she pulled ten-lengths clear of Cotton End (who re-opposes here in receipt of just 1lb) while also chasing the 132 rated Effernock Fizz to just over four-lengths. While the winner was not fully extended, she did require Sean Bowen to ride her out and as a result I’m confident Walk In Clover ran to a mark far in excess of her current rating of 105.

La Renomee and Fortunes Melody finished first and second over this course and distance last time. Ben Bromley claimed 7lb on that occasion and despite his claim being reduced to 5lb the Harry Fry trained mare is now weighted to reverse that form. I’d be disappointed though if either were good enough to beat Dan Skelton’s exceptionally well-handicapped mare.

Evan William’s enigmatic gelding failed to fire on his last start at Kempton in the Coral Trophy Handicap Chase. However, I’m hopeful that this drop in class and a return to softer ground can see him show his true ability.

The presence once again of Bobhopeornohope is a mild concern given that at Kempton the pair took each other on in the early stages of the race and forced an overly strong pace. I’d expect Adam Wedge, rider of Annsam, to be aware of that possibility and he might well elect to get a lead this time.

The likely favourite Dibble Decker has been hard pushed to win his past two starts and while the extra distance he faces here may elicit some improvement I’m happy to pass him over in this warmer contest.

Annsam has good course form at Ludlow with a win and a second from two starts. He can improve that record by winning this under his optimum conditions.

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