By Peter Moore at Lingfield Park Thursday 12th February 2026
Thursday’s card at Lingfield was dominated by horses who had been waiting a while to break their maiden tag.
Both Joseph and Jack Andrea finally got their noses in front after a combined total of 35 races.
Joseph was made to work hard for his victory after some early-race drama but he was able to rally impressively to break his maiden tag in the 1m2f apprentice handicap.
The John Butler-trained four-year-old was sent off favourite under Donagh Murphy but the pair were nearly wiped out of the race when 50-1 outsider Daddy Chill, who had unseated rider Charlie Tucker before the start, caused even more trouble on the opening bend – ducking right and sending Tucker to the ground again and badly hampering Joseph in the process.
The four-year-old was able to correct his course and tack on to the back of the field before fighting his way into contention down the home straight and going on to score by a head from Beta Reader.
The Darryll Holland-trained Jack Andrea triumphed on his 19th start in the 1m2f classified stakes.
In a race that produced very little in the way of pace, Sean Dylan-Bowen produced Jack Andrea on the wide outside with a late run to the line to score by three and a quarter lengths.
Spanish Voice looks another promising type for Andrew Balding after prevailing at long odds on in the 1m 2f novice. The 1-9 shot showed greenness on his first start in 302 days but still had enough class to see off Nuptown Girl by two and a quarter lengths under Callum Hutchinson.
Henrythenate made it consecutive victories in the course of 19 days after landing the 5f handicap under Jack Dace despite going up 8lb in the weights. An excellent turn of foot put the race to bed, with the three-year-old scoring by two and a quarter lengths.
Irishman Oisin McSweeney’s trip from Ireland to Lingfield proved successful on his first ever visit to the Surrey course after steering An Laochmor to victory in the 5f handicap for four year olds and upwards for trainer D.J. Murphy.