Tranquil Tiger packs plenty bite

CHELTENHAM may be over, but a fine card is in the offing on the all-weather at Lingfield this afternoon, where Tranquil Tiger can roar to glory in the £100,000 sportingbet Supports Heros Winter Derby.

The six-year-old entire finished last year with a flourish, signing off with two eye-catching course-and-distance Listed triumphs.

Crucially, Henry Cecil's son of Selkirk has proved in the past he goes well fresh, so a 91-day absence should not put anyone off. Pleasing gallops work with the mighty Twice Over adds further credence to his claims of landing a first Group 3 prize in a distinguished career.

Rowe Park has already won at that level and could go well at a fair price in the sportingbet Supports Heros Hever Sprint Stakes. The appointment of Ryan Moore for Linda Jewell could be a tip in itself.

Badgerlaw can strike a blow for the Irish in a wide-open renewal of the John Smith's Midlands Grand National Chase Handicap at Uttoxeter.

Suitably buoyed by an uncompromising victory at Punchestown, Jessica Harrington's ten-year-old was then set a rather daunting assignment in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan. While he shaped with credit, unsurprisingly staying on at the death, the gelding realistically had little chance at the weights.

He is a far different proposition over fences, however, as his Listed success at Cork last April neatly illustrated. Badgerlaw would, like many of his rivals, require the forecast rain to be seen at his best. If that is the case, he would have a strong chance of finishing in the money at the very least.