Raceday LIVE – Aspire To Glory
Lingfield,
Sun 12 Jan 2025 12:42
Related horse(s):
Aspire To Glory
Aspire To Glory makes his first start of 2025 this afternoon, in Division II of the Class 6 Classified Stakes over seven furlongs at Lingfield.
Read our Raceday LIVE Preview below and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track with the team and Aspire To Glory's lucky owners for the day across our social channels on X (@coral) and Instagram (@coralofficial).
Raceday LIVE Preview
It's another relatively quick turnaround for Aspire To Glory, who last ran on Boxing Day, as he makes the trip to Lingfield to kick off his four-year-old campaign only 12 days into the year.
He's had a relatively busy time of it lately, having run once in November, before competing twice in the space of seven days towards the end of December. The first of those three runs, at Chelmsford over seven furlongs, was quite promising, as Aspire To Glory came home in a respectable fourth place, four lengths behind the winner, No Saint, who was raised 7lbs for that impressive victory.
His two runs in December were less pleasing, as he came home in 8th place over a mile at Chelmsford, before showing some improvement next time out where he finished 9th, but much closer to the winner of the race. Despite that effort, he has still slid down the official ratings, with his mark dropping three pounds over the course of those three runs to 43.
WATCH: Aspire To Glory works on the Warren Hill Gallops.
Interestingly, however, it was at this exact raceday last year that Aspire To Glory won for the second time in his career, over the same distance, in a corresponding race for three-year-old horses. Tommie Jakes was onboard our gelding that day, claiming 7lbs, and guided him into the race beautifully, despite being drawn in a wider than ideal stall. He made some great headway inside the final two furlongs and kept on well to win the race.
WATCH: Aspire To Glory win at Lingfield to make it back-to-back wins
Hopefully, a return to the course and distance where he was last victorious sparks a light with Aspire To Glory and he can get back to the form he showed a year ago, and the form that Alice Haynes and her team know he's capable of, based on the work he's been doing at home.
Aspire To Glory has been handed a tough draw in stall number nine of ten, but as we've seen before he can cope with a wide draw to be competitive at this venue. The ground is currently set to be Standard to Slow, as it appears that the freezing conditions that caused Friday's all-weather meeting to be abandoned has had an effect on the Polytrack at Lingfield.
Raceday update from trainer Alice Haynes
"Aspire To Glory has been a bit disappointing on his last two runs, but prior to that he ran OK to finish fourth at Chelmsford, so we’re hoping he can put in a performance like that. The race has divided, which was good news as it meant he gets a run, although life won’t be any easier for him in these classified races as he has to carry the same weight as horses rated higher than him.
He's been in good form at home, and had a good canter up Warren Hill on Friday morning, and we’ve made the decision to take the hood and blinkers off him, as they weren’t seeming to have a positive effect on him, and it’s always good to try something different.
Kieran [O’Neill] still has plenty of faith in him, and he’ll ride him positively, and of course it was over this course and distance a year ago he won for the second time, so hopefully a return to the scene of that victory will see him run well."
Chris Dixon, Racing TV Analyst, previews today's 12:42 at Lingfield and Aspire To Glory's chances in the race
A whole host of headgear combinations have been tried on Aspire To Glory on recent starts in a bid to revive him to the level of form shown when winning back to back races last AW season. Along the way there have been hints that he could bounce back given the right circumstances but that full return to form has yet t materialise so trainer Alice Haynes now tries taking off all the headgear and sends him back to Lingfield for the first time since his last win. The return to this track offers some hope of a return to form and the drop into a Classified race rather than a handicap can be a plus, though it’s hard to make that argument in his case given he’s meeting most of his opponents on worse terms than he would if this were a handicap. Stall 9 also doesn’t look ideal so in truth it has to be hope rather than expectation of a good run where he troubles the judge.
Star Of Atlantis has a good chance at the weights given his rating of 51 and he capitalised on a drop into Classified company when winning at Southwell last time. The time of that race was decent in the context of the grade and he should run well again, though perhaps Match Anthem is the one to beat. From a stable among the winners, Match Anthem is chasing a hat-trick following wins at Chelmsford and Wolverhampton. On each occasion he’s had a subsequent winner in behind so the form is looking strong and he’s another of the runners in this that is favoured by the weights compared to what he would be in a handicap against the same rivals. His form needs to be transferred to this different track but if he manages to do that then he looks the form pick. Seas Of Elzaam has been capable of a much higher level in the past and is another to be interested in down at this level for the first time after a good run back from a break last time with that form looking strong for the grade (second and third both won next time).
Trainer and Jockey Statistics
Alice Haynes has been in relatively quiet form recently, with one winner from her last 20 runners over the last fortnight. On the all-weather at Lingfield, she's had 23 winners from 157 career runners there, with none coming there so far this year.
Kieran O'Neill has been kept busy recently, with 41 rides in the last two weeks, and he's come away from those rides with two winners. He's been relatively successful at Lingfield over the course of his career, with 75 winners coming at the all-weather course. The jockey also picked up his 100th winner for trainer Alice Haynes on the 29th December, having ridden 906 times for the Newamrket trainer prior to today.
Aspire To Glory's Owners for the Day
As winners of the recent Owner for the Day competition, 10 lucky Coral Racing Club members have been given the chance to enjoy an exclusive owners experience for Aspire To Glory's run at Lingfield this afternoon.
Each winner, along with a guest of their choosing, will receive free entry to Lingfield Racecourse, including exclusive access to Owners & Trainers areas. They'll have the opportunity to meet Aspire To Glory and the Alice Haynes team, plus get to head into the parade ring before the race begins to be amongst all the other owners, trainers and jockeys. And last but by no means least, each winner will get to take home an equal 10% split of any prize money won by Aspire To Glory.
Prize Money
Today's Class 6 contest is worth £6,000 in total, with the winner set to scoop £3,140 for their lucky owners.
2nd: £1,473 | 3rd: £736 | 4th: £368 | 5th: £183
LINGFIELD 12:42 – LATEST ODDS
We hope you enjoyed reading today's Raceday LIVE Preview. Don't forget to tune in just before 12:42 to watch Aspire To Glory's next run for the club live on the Coral Sports app.
Read our Raceday LIVE Preview below and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track with the team and Aspire To Glory's lucky owners for the day across our social channels on X (@coral) and Instagram (@coralofficial).
Raceday LIVE Preview
It's another relatively quick turnaround for Aspire To Glory, who last ran on Boxing Day, as he makes the trip to Lingfield to kick off his four-year-old campaign only 12 days into the year.
He's had a relatively busy time of it lately, having run once in November, before competing twice in the space of seven days towards the end of December. The first of those three runs, at Chelmsford over seven furlongs, was quite promising, as Aspire To Glory came home in a respectable fourth place, four lengths behind the winner, No Saint, who was raised 7lbs for that impressive victory.
His two runs in December were less pleasing, as he came home in 8th place over a mile at Chelmsford, before showing some improvement next time out where he finished 9th, but much closer to the winner of the race. Despite that effort, he has still slid down the official ratings, with his mark dropping three pounds over the course of those three runs to 43.
WATCH: Aspire To Glory works on the Warren Hill Gallops.
WATCH: Aspire To Glory win at Lingfield to make it back-to-back wins
Aspire To Glory has been handed a tough draw in stall number nine of ten, but as we've seen before he can cope with a wide draw to be competitive at this venue. The ground is currently set to be Standard to Slow, as it appears that the freezing conditions that caused Friday's all-weather meeting to be abandoned has had an effect on the Polytrack at Lingfield.
Raceday update from trainer Alice Haynes
"Aspire To Glory has been a bit disappointing on his last two runs, but prior to that he ran OK to finish fourth at Chelmsford, so we’re hoping he can put in a performance like that. The race has divided, which was good news as it meant he gets a run, although life won’t be any easier for him in these classified races as he has to carry the same weight as horses rated higher than him.
He's been in good form at home, and had a good canter up Warren Hill on Friday morning, and we’ve made the decision to take the hood and blinkers off him, as they weren’t seeming to have a positive effect on him, and it’s always good to try something different.
Kieran [O’Neill] still has plenty of faith in him, and he’ll ride him positively, and of course it was over this course and distance a year ago he won for the second time, so hopefully a return to the scene of that victory will see him run well."
Chris Dixon, Racing TV Analyst, previews today's 12:42 at Lingfield and Aspire To Glory's chances in the race
A whole host of headgear combinations have been tried on Aspire To Glory on recent starts in a bid to revive him to the level of form shown when winning back to back races last AW season. Along the way there have been hints that he could bounce back given the right circumstances but that full return to form has yet t materialise so trainer Alice Haynes now tries taking off all the headgear and sends him back to Lingfield for the first time since his last win. The return to this track offers some hope of a return to form and the drop into a Classified race rather than a handicap can be a plus, though it’s hard to make that argument in his case given he’s meeting most of his opponents on worse terms than he would if this were a handicap. Stall 9 also doesn’t look ideal so in truth it has to be hope rather than expectation of a good run where he troubles the judge.
Star Of Atlantis has a good chance at the weights given his rating of 51 and he capitalised on a drop into Classified company when winning at Southwell last time. The time of that race was decent in the context of the grade and he should run well again, though perhaps Match Anthem is the one to beat. From a stable among the winners, Match Anthem is chasing a hat-trick following wins at Chelmsford and Wolverhampton. On each occasion he’s had a subsequent winner in behind so the form is looking strong and he’s another of the runners in this that is favoured by the weights compared to what he would be in a handicap against the same rivals. His form needs to be transferred to this different track but if he manages to do that then he looks the form pick. Seas Of Elzaam has been capable of a much higher level in the past and is another to be interested in down at this level for the first time after a good run back from a break last time with that form looking strong for the grade (second and third both won next time).
Trainer and Jockey Statistics
Alice Haynes has been in relatively quiet form recently, with one winner from her last 20 runners over the last fortnight. On the all-weather at Lingfield, she's had 23 winners from 157 career runners there, with none coming there so far this year.
Kieran O'Neill has been kept busy recently, with 41 rides in the last two weeks, and he's come away from those rides with two winners. He's been relatively successful at Lingfield over the course of his career, with 75 winners coming at the all-weather course. The jockey also picked up his 100th winner for trainer Alice Haynes on the 29th December, having ridden 906 times for the Newamrket trainer prior to today.
Aspire To Glory's Owners for the Day
As winners of the recent Owner for the Day competition, 10 lucky Coral Racing Club members have been given the chance to enjoy an exclusive owners experience for Aspire To Glory's run at Lingfield this afternoon.
Each winner, along with a guest of their choosing, will receive free entry to Lingfield Racecourse, including exclusive access to Owners & Trainers areas. They'll have the opportunity to meet Aspire To Glory and the Alice Haynes team, plus get to head into the parade ring before the race begins to be amongst all the other owners, trainers and jockeys. And last but by no means least, each winner will get to take home an equal 10% split of any prize money won by Aspire To Glory.
Prize Money
Today's Class 6 contest is worth £6,000 in total, with the winner set to scoop £3,140 for their lucky owners.
2nd: £1,473 | 3rd: £736 | 4th: £368 | 5th: £183
LINGFIELD 12:42 – LATEST ODDS
We hope you enjoyed reading today's Raceday LIVE Preview. Don't forget to tune in just before 12:42 to watch Aspire To Glory's next run for the club live on the Coral Sports app.
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