'Everything about it should suit him' - Metier primed for £100,000 race

Last season’s Tolworth winner Metier looks set to encounter heavy ground for the first time since his top-level success when contesting the feature £100,000 Sovereign Handicap Hurdle on day one of Lingfield’s inaugural Winter Million festival on Friday.

Metier, who is entered in next month’s Betfair Hurdle at Newbury, bounced back to form when fourth in the Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot last month on good to soft ground and should relish more testing conditions this week.

The going is described as heavy at Lingfield with a largely dry forecast in the lead up to the meeting, where more than £1 million in prize-money is on offer. The jumps cards on Friday and Sunday will have four races televised on ITV4, with Saturday’s Flat meeting including a £100,000 fillies’ handicap.

Lingfield entries on Friday

Trainer Harry Fry, who could also run the unbeaten Love Envoi in the mares’ novice hurdle on Friday, said: “Lingfield is the plan for Metier and it was nice to see him bounce back at Ascot last time. This race has very much been on the radar since and everything about it should suit him. We’re looking forward to seeing him back on his favoured heavy ground.”

There is potential Irish interest in the Sovereign Handicap Hurdle courtesy of the Sean Doyle-trained Lucky Max, who has won his last three starts, and Carrarea and Sevenna Star trained by Emmet Mullins.

Metier is an 8-1 chance to return to winning ways with William Hill, with Lucky Max heading the betting at 5-1.

Entries for the other two days of the Winter Million festival will be out on Monday and the track’s clerk of the course George Hill is pleased with conditions and the forecast for the week.

Hill said: "The going is heavy with a dry forecast between now and racing. We may have a few frosty mornings but at the moment there is nothing to worry about. It isn’t a bad forecast for January.

“The Winter Million is a new concept and me and the team down here are really looking forward to it. We have put in a lot of hours to get the idea off the ground and to have a million pounds in prize-money across the three days is hugely exciting.”

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