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WATERSMEET AND LORD GEORGE TO CLASH IN WEDNESDAY’S FTQ

Fast Track Qualifiers
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19 February 2018

Watersmeet is chasing a three-timer in the £25,000 32Red Conditions Race (7.15pm, seven runners) over two miles at Kempton Park on Wednesday, February 21. The Polytrack contest is the third of the four Marathon Fast-Track Qualifiers, with the winner guaranteed a free start in the £150,000 Betway All-Weather Marathon Championships over the same distance and surface at Lingfield Park on All-Weather Championships Finals Day, Good Friday, March 30. All-Weather specialist Watersmeet (Mark Johnston/Joe Fanning) has already captured a Marathon Fast-Track Qualifier this winter when repelling French challenger Funny Kid by a neck in the Betway Live Casino Conditions Race at Wolverhampton on January 15. Watersmeet has since doubled up in a two-mile conditions contest at Lingfield Park on February 2, and the seven-year-old's All-Weather record now stands at 10 wins from 20 starts. Lord George (James Fanshawe/Daniel Muscutt) has performed well on the Polytrack at Kempton Park, with two wins and two seconds from four starts. The five-year-old grey posted a career-best performance under top-weight when taking a course and distance handicap by two and a half lengths on January 6 - his most recent start. Trainer James Fanshawe, based in Newmarket, said today: "Lord George seems very well and likes the track at Kempton. "He won there nicely last time in the first time visor and was raised 6lb for the performance, so it was obviously a step-up on what he had achieved beforehand. "We will get Wednesday out of the way before deciding about Good Friday because Lingfield is obviously a very different track compared to Kempton, and he does seem to enjoy Kempton." Curbyourenthusiasm (David Simcock/Oisin Murphy) defeated Watersmeet in a 14-furlong handicap at Chelmsford City in November, 2016. He finished third behind the same rival at Lingfield Park on February 2.  Britain's champion Jump trainer Nicky Henderson runs Bardd (Fran Berry), who captured an extended 13-furlong maiden at Chelmsford City in December. Sandro Botticelli (Alexandra Dunn/Martin Harley) scored at Listed level in 2016 for previous trainer John Ryan, but his recent runs have not matched that form, including when fifth behind Watersmeet at Lingfield Park on February 2. Aussie Reigns (Gary Moore/Ryan Moore), with Ryan Moore riding for his father Garry, and Continuum (Peter Hedger/Tom Marquand) complete the seven runners. Kempton Park's six-race card, which also features the £25,000 32Red.com Handicap (7.45pm, 10 runners) over a mile and three furlongs, starts at 5.45pm and ends at 8.15pm.

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