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Diligent Harry can defy top weight in the Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap at Newcastle.
The five-year-old looked set for a big season in 2022 having placed in a couple of Group Threes the previous campaign.
However, after going down by just a short head on his return at Doncaster, Diligent Harry fell short in a couple of hot assignments, finishing unplaced behind Naval Crown at Royal Ascot and Minzaal at Newbury – although beaten less than five lengths by both.
Disappointing on his final start, Diligent Harry was gelded over the winter and looked much more like his old self when going down by just a neck in a Listed heat earlier this month, hardly helping his cause by hanging across the track in the finish.
Clearly he still retains at least a large part of his old ability and with a run under his belt, plus the drop to handicap company, he can get a confidence-booster on the board.
The Archie Watson-trained Colors Of Freedom is taken to continue her fantastic run of form in the talkSPORT Powered By Fans Handicap.
The daughter of Mayson showed precious little in three outings in novice company in the autumn, but that allowed her to enter the handicap sphere off a mark of just 51 and she has not looked back.
She was a 33-1 winner on her handicap bow over six furlongs at Newcastle over the Christmas period and since the turn of the year has rattled off three further wins over five furlongs.
The handicapper is bound to catch up with Colors Of Freedom eventually, but she was value for more than winning margin of half a length at Lingfield last time out and is difficult to oppose.
Zonisty is likely to outclass his rivals in the opening Download The At The Races App Open National Hunt Flat Race at Lingfield.
A rare winner under National Hunt rules for Sir Mark Prescott when impressing here in November, the five-year-old was odds-on to follow up on his return to the track a few weeks later, but was put in his place by Ledders.
That form looks pretty strong, though, with the third home Jack Hyde and the fourth-placed Killarney Mountain both winning since.
Following a two-month break, Zonisty really ought to reward those who keep the faith.
Polyphonic should find the Free Tips Daily On attheraces.com Novices' Hurdle a bit more his speed after an unplaced run in the Chatteris Fen at Huntingdon.
Milton Harris' charge never really found his groove in that most recent spin, with his hurdling letting him down when push came to shove and he eventually trailed home a distant fifth.
He had previously opened his account in a lesser heat at Fontwell, so a return to calmer waters looks wise.
Deep Charm is another whose jumping has proved costly of late, but if he can get it together, the Weddings At Western House Hotel Handicap Chase at Ayr could see him back in the winner's enclosure.
He was beaten 16 lengths in third by a well-treated winner at Kelso last month, when a series of jumping errors hampered his run, while he had been pulled up on his only other start at that same track this term.
Deep Charm has now fallen back to his last winning mark of 100 – a perch off which he triumphed in December 2021 – so the handicapper is certainly giving him chance to rediscover his best.
SELECTIONS:
AYR: 1.45 Lone Star, 2.15 Deep Charm, 2.45 Had To Be Hugo, 3.20 Wheelbahri, 3.55 Jet Legs, 4.30 Gentleman De Mai, 5.05 Lunar Discovery.
LINGFIELD: 1.30 Zonisty, 2.00 Hill Station, 2.30 Polyphonic, 3.00 Not What It Seems, 3.35 Moviddy, 4.10 Art Of Illusion, 4.40 Royal Sam.
NEWCASTLE: 4.55 Burnage Boy, 5.30 Divine Connection, 6.00 Patriot's Choice, 6.30 DILIGENT HARRY (NAP), 7.00 Jumira Bridge, 7.30 Colors Of Freedom, 8.00 Code Purple
DOUBLE: Diligent Harry and Colors Of Freedom.
