Racing tips: Running in a Veterans’ Handicap Chase could be a penalty kick for Moonlighter

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Unfortunately, Huntingdon was called off on Sunday and I wasn't at home so I couldn't put up a replacement bet from Ireland.

Lingfield 2:35 – Moonlighter 10/3 (1pt, Bet365)

Racing for Monday doesn't look great, not a lot really stands out as a decent bet other than Moonlighter who runs in the Conditional Jockeys' Veterans' Chase.

This horse was a smart handicapper back in the day when trained by Nick Williams when he won a Class 2 Chase at Sandown beating Sandown master, Dolos. He then went off the boil since that win, moved to Kim Bailey in the process and didn't manage to win until his third run for the yard, which came off a mark of 121. He has since run in patches, well on some occasions and not so great on others, but I thought his return to action at Chepstow was a positive one and left with something to build on when finishing 5th/11, looking tired approaching the final couple of fences. Other than winning on his first ever start he has never won on the back of an absence, so that is another positive take on his reappearance at Chepstow.

He is a 10yo these days, which makes him eligible for the Veterans' Chase races, which is normally going to make life easier as the opposition isn't going to be improving at this stage of their careers, and that is why I think he has a great chance on winning at Lingfield today. He enjoys soft ground, which is what he'll get a Lingfield, this is a step down in Grade, with not many looking like they're in great form and when you put Kai Lenihan's 8lb claim on Moonlighter's already reduced handicap mark, he is running off 113 which is 8lbs lower than when he last won a race earlier this year.

He is not an easy ride, and Kim Bailey has mentioned that, so Kai Lenihan will have his work cut out, but if he is primed for today's run, he should have too much class for this field, especially off his well-handicapped mark.

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