Five horses who should relish heavy ground at Lingfield's Winter Million meeting

The first day of the Winter Million meeting is set to go ahead after passing a morning inspection, with the going described as heavy for the seven-race card. We've picked out five horses who ought to appreciate the muddy conditions.

ITV4 action hit as Market Rasen cancelled due to frost after three inspections

Love Envoi

Winter Million Mares' Novices' Hurdle (12.50)

Rainyday Woman sets the standard on ratings for the opening contest of the inaugural Winter Million festival but her hurdles wins have come on good or good to soft ground and she is set to experience rather different conditions here.

One opponent who is proven on heavy ground is Love Envoi. The Harry Fry-trained mare sluiced through deep ground at Warwick last time under a penalty and could kickstart a good day for the Harry Fry stable.

Deja Vue

Winter Million EBF Mares' Novices' Handicap Chase (1.20)

It could be deja vu for backers of the Anthony Honeyball-trained mare if she is capable of defying a 9lb rise for her comfortable soft-ground win at Exeter last time.

The eight-year-old has a consistent record on heavy ground with two wins, two seconds and a third from six starts in these conditions. She was relatively friendless in the market on Friday morning and is topweight but certainly knows how to cope when the going gets tough.

Paul Kealy's Friday banker at Lingfield

Le Ligerien

racehorselotto.com Handicap Chase (1.50)

Everything clicked for Le Ligerien in the jumping department at Chepstow last time and he has ideal conditions in his bid to follow up that four-and-a-quarter length win.

The handicapper reacted by handing the nine-year-old a 5lb rise but that may not stop him, especially as four of his five best performances on Racing Post Ratings have come on heavy ground. He remains leniently treated on the best of his hurdles form and his RPR of 123 last time also indicates this mark may not be above him.

Le Ligerien: thrived on heavy ground at Chepstow last timeCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Queenohearts

weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Novices' Chase (3.00)

Queenohearts makes her debut for the Kim Bailey stable after a lengthy absence from the track. However, she had a perfect 2-2 record on heavy ground for previous trainer Stuart Edmunds and has conditions in her favour on her belated return.

Although this is a tough starting point over fences, her best Racing Post Rating came on her last run in December 2020 when beating Clyne on heavy ground at Haydock.

ITV Racing tips: one key runner from each of the four races on ITV4 on Friday

Metier

Sovereign Handicap Hurdle (3.35)

This six-year-old was one of the leading stars of the novice hurdle division last season and runs on heavy ground for the first time since running out a dominant winner of the 2021 Tolworth Hurdle.

Things never went right in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, a race he was just 11-2 for, and his return at Sandown on good to soft ground was equally uninspiring.

However, his fourth in a hot race at Ascot last month was much more like it and he could be the class act in this £100,000 race back on an ideal surface.

Read Friday's race previews:

1.50 Lingfield: Can Eclair D'Ainay back up Wetherby win for the Skeltons in £50,000 event?

2.25 Lingfield: 'This is a good race for him' - On The Blind Side given golden opportunity

3.00 Lingfield: 'The boys who own him are quite excited about this' - novice chase quotes

3.35 Lingfield: 'The Irish could have a bit in hand' - who fears the raiders in £100k handicap?

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