Haggas out for second win in Listed race with improving Thought

4.20 Lingfield
32Red Spring Cup (Listed) l 7f, 3yo l ATR

Three years after unleashing the smart Ertijaal in the feature, William Haggas is back with an equally potent weapon in the shape of Second Thought, who bids to extend his unbeaten record on the all-weather to three.

Robert Winston continues his successful association with the three-year-old, who faces a rematch with Mark Johnston's Sutter County who he accounted over 6f at Kempton last time.

Up a furlong today, Second Thought is using this as a warm-up for the three-year-old sprint on finals day next month for which he is currently 3-1 favourite with sponsors Betway.

Sutter County has since gone on to advertise the form when winning at Newcastle, but that was over 5f and he encounters an extra quarter-mile this time.

Fillies flounder

Annie Fior and Tisbutadream represent the females here, but only one filly has ever won this contest which was Nashmiah back in 2009.

Big guns

As well as Ertijaal, the race has been won by some useful types in the past such as Dubawi Gold, who went onto chase home the mighty Frankel in the 2,000 Guineas in 2011.

What they say

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Dr Julius No
He's a seven-furlong horse which will help as many of the other runners have been running over shorter. He's in good form and should like the track.

John Ryan, trainer of Grey Britain
He's just stepped off the plane from Dubai where he acquitted himself well against top-class opposition considering he was badly drawn. He's not drawn well again, but we have Adam Kirby on board who rides Lingfield like no other.

Roger Teal, trainer of High Acclaim
He won over a testing six furlongs on soft ground at Pontefract at the backend so he should get the seven, but it's his first start of the year and many of the others are race-fit. This will tell us if he's up to Listed class or whether we should go back into handicaps.

William Haggas, trainer of Second Thought
He's up in trip but I expect him to get the seven and this race is a nice fit before all-weather finals day next month. He's a progressive type and I expect him to run another good race.

Mark Johnston, trainer of Sutter County
It had always been our intention to step him up to this trip, but we went back to five furlongs with him last time for what proved to be a penalty kick. We're hopeful he can run another good race on the way to all-weather finals day.

James Tate, trainer of Volatile
He won impressively on his second start in what was a moderate enough race and this has been the target since. He's filled out and looks tremendous. He's been working very well and we do think of him as a black-type horse.

Denis Coakley, trainer of Annie Fior
We think she'll run well but there looks to be some higher-rated ones in there so we'll see how we progress. She's a homebred filly and the idea would be to get some black type.