Graeme Rodway's play of the day at Lingfield

Baroque Buoy

George Scott had a golden 20 minutes on Saturday when landing an across-the-card double at Newbury and Ripon, with Phantom Flight’s victory in the Steventon Stakes the highlight. Scott’s horses appear to be running into form and he could be in for another successful day.

The Newmarket trainer has six runners and the one who interests me is Baroque Buoy, who can bounce back from a sub-par run on turf last time in the mile handicap (2.20) at Lingfield.

Baroque Buoy progressed with each of his first three runs in handicaps on the all-weather and followed two narrow seconds over a mile at Kempton with his maiden victory in a 1m½f handicap at Wolverhampton last month. He did remarkably well to come out on top that day.

That’s because he was caught at the back of the field off a modest gallop and didn’t enjoy the clearest of runs, but that didn’t stop him barging his way through to win going away under just hands and heels. He also produced some solid sectionals to cut down better-placed rivals.

He went off 13-8 favourite to defy a 6lb penalty on his turf debut over 1m2f at Bath just four days later, but didn’t look like the same horse. He hung right off the home bend and didn’t appear to be suited by the different surface. Jockey Liam Wright also reported that he ran flat.

Maybe he didn’t handle turf, or stay 1m2f, or possibly two quick runs in the space of a week caught up with him, but there is good reason to forgive him that disappointing effort and he went up only 2lb for his previous Wolverhampton victory, so is 4lb lower than last time here.

The return to a mile on the all-weather is evidently going to suit Baroque Buoy and he has had a 30-day break to get over those two runs in five days, so has no excuses on that score.

Callum Shepherd, who has a good record for Scott, takes over from 5lb claimer Wright in the plate and Baroque Buoy should be capable of picking up where he left off on the all-weather.