Boiling Point simmering nicely ahead of Winter Derby

Karl Burke is taking a step into the unknown with Boiling Point in the Midnite Winter Derby at Lingfield.

The five-year-old won the Cambridgeshire over nine furlongs last time out and will be stepping up to a mile and a quarter for the first time, on only his second run on the all-weather.

Burke said: “He’s been working with Royal Champion, so hopefully a bit of his class has rubbed off on him!

“I’m very happy with him. We’re obviously taking a bit of a punt with the extra furlong, but it’s an easy mile and a quarter and he stayed the mile and one (furlong) well.

“We think he’ll stay the trip, he’s got to take to the surface as well, but it looked a race we should have a go at with him really.

“He’s in good shape. I’m sure whatever he does he’ll tighten up for it slightly, but it will put him spot on for his first run on turf, wherever that is.”

Connections believe summer wind and gelding surgery have brought more focus to the talented Chancellor.

The John and Thady Gosden trained four-year-old has been a reformed character this winter, winning at Kempton before being narrowly beaten into second in the Listed Hyde Stakes at the Sunbury track and then going on to win the Tandridge Stakes at Southwell.

Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud, said: “We’ve had to do a bit of wind surgery, but he certainly appears to be performing much better now having had that so hopefully we can continue to progress.

“We’ve done everything we can and I think he’s certainly concentrating more.

“Hopefully now, his mind’s in the right place. The ability we’ve always known is there and hopefully now we’ll get him to focus on what he needs to do and  progressively hopefully.

“Now we’ve got him right and he’s performing to the level that we knew he could. As ever it is a fairly competitive Winter Derby, but at least we know what we can start targeting once we’ve seen him run again.”

James Fanshawe’s Sky Safari is the only mare in the race and is looking for redemption after going down by just a head to Morrophore in the Winter Oaks.

Fanshawe said: “It’s a step up in grade. Her all-weather from is really consistent she’s been very effective on the all-weather and she seems in good form, but it is a step up in class.

“She just got pipped on the line, but her mark was raised (up 3lb) after that and she’s effective around Lingfield so hopefully she will run really well.

“The initial aim was to go for the Winter Oaks and she’s had a little break since then, but she is in good form.”

The Gosdens are also represented by Nebras, who has also had a successful winter with battling wins at Newcastle and in the Listed Quebec Stakes at Lingfield.

The field is completed by Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Military Academy.