Saturday Racing Tips: Back Uramazin to shine at Lingfield

One of the funniest men in the press room is Tony Lewis, and perusing today's Lingfield card got me thinking about the Daily Star veteran.

A fair amount of Tony's humour can best be described as "adult", but some of his better lines are juvenile, highly amusing and can thankfully be repeated without fear of prosecution.

I was sitting in a Sandown press room a couple of years ago, pretending to be busy like all of the other bookie PR reps there, when he remarked that Peter Crate had a runner in the first.

"I thought he had packed up ages ago," added Lewis to general groans and chuckles from the other hacks. It made me laugh anyway.

Well, Crate is still boxing clever - sorry, I'll park my feeble attempts at wood-based humour there - and has had good success in recent years with sprinters Sandfrankskipsgo, Picansort and Taajub.

Lingfield 15:10 - Elusivity

And Crate has two very interesting runners at Lingfield in the shape of Top Offer in the 13:25 and Elusitivity in the 15:10, both new recruits to the yard.

Top Offer's race isn't televised by Channel 4 but that horse is maybe worth checking out at around 16-1 nonetheless, and Elusivity is definitely worth a tentative, small-stakes, poke at odds of 25.024/1 or better in the 6f sprint.

Crate has inherited a very well-handicapped horse here if he can coax him back to his best, as a mark of 94 underplays the ability that he showed in Group 2 and 3 company at the start of last season, and when only beaten a length off a mark of 103 over 5f at York last May.

And while Crate was advising caution in an interview on the ATR website yesterday, admitting that the horse will be better for the run, I am willing to take the chance at the odds on his first start at Lingfield and for the stable. And he did win first time up at Kempton in 2011.

Crate said on ATR: "He's in good form and he's really pleasing me. I'm sure he's going to be one of those horses that could shock me because he has dropped a fair way in the handicap. He did a piece of work last week and was impressive, but I wouldn't be over-selling him for Saturday.

"I bought him at Tattersalls three and a half months ago. I went up there with the sole intention of buying him. He was one that stood out for me in the catalogue and I was fortunate enough to purchase him. We let him off for a month. He's been back in work a couple of months and he's ready for a run, though I think there will be better to come from him later in the year."

Let's hope that he does shock you, Peter.

Lingfield 14:35 - Uramazin

I was tempted by Castilo Del Diablo in the 14:35 but thought his price of around 6-1 was a touch skinny, and at around twice the price my allegiance was switched to Uramazin. Back him at odds of 13.012/1 or better.

His claims are far more straightforward than Elusivity in that he comes here after a good second to Marshgate Lane over 1m2f last month, and the winner has since followed up off a 7lb higher mark at Wolverhampton last time.

So Uramazin looks fairly treated racing off the same mark today and this former Group 1 performer in Hong Kong had form over this longer trip in that country. And he certainly looked as if he would appreciate an extra 2f here last time.

It is a very tricky handicap though - Kashmir Peak is another very interesting rival, but his price has ebbed away somewhat - so keep stakes on the low side.

Best of luck today, whatever you punt.

Recommended Bets

Back Elusivity @ 26.025/1 or better - Lingfield 15:10
Back Uramazin @ 13.012/1 or better - Lingfield 14:35