Harness Racing / Timeform / 06 February 2009 / Leave a comment Bet Now

Five line up for this seven furlong contest worth £8,000. Timeform rate the runners.

Mark Johnston's St Moritz is top-rated by Timeform. He created a good impression on his debut when winning a seven-runner maiden at Lingfield in January. Heavily backed, he scored readily by two-and-three-quarter lengths from Rebel City, overcoming greenness and getting the hang of things as the race wore on. St Moritz is kept to the same trip for this contest, but will stay at least one mile in time and is sure to improve.

Changing The Guard represents Richard Fahey. He won a maiden at Great Leighs in January prior to finishing a three-quarter length second to Five Star Junior in a handicap at this venue next time. That rival has gone on to score at Lingfield since, whilst Changing The Guard looked inexperienced when finishing runner-up, having no answer to the winner's turn of foot inside the last. He should be well suited by this step up in trip to seven furlongs.

Richard Hannon's Head Down is a fair maiden on balance and has put in creditable efforts when placed on his last four starts, headed only in the final furlong when one-and-a-half lengths runner-up to My Best Bet at Kempton on the latest. He is effective at this trip and usually races prominently.

Grand Honour is fairly useful handicapper who was successful twice in 2008. He has been largely been holding his form well of late, though was probably unsuited by the emphasis on speed over six furlongs at Lingfield on his penultimate start, and was outpaced when the pace increased here next time. Grand Honour's best efforts have come at seven furlongs, and this hold-up performer is probably worth another chance to reproduce his earlier form.

Luckydolly is a fair maiden. She finished second over five furlongs at this course last time, always well placed and pulling well clear of the remainder to confirm the improved form she showed at Dundalk on her penultimate start. She stays seven furlongs, and has shown gradual improvement with each of her last four runs. She should continue to give a good account.