Dozen For betdirect Winter Derby A dozen horses have been declared for Saturday´s Group Three #100,000 betdirect Winter Derby (3.15pm), the highlight of a superb eight-race card at Lingfield Park.Betdirect make Blue Bajan, the short-head runner-up in the Go Pontin's Winter Derby Trial last time out over the same course and distance - 10 furlongs on Polytrack - , the 9/2 joint favourite along with Gentleman's Deal, who is unbeaten in six races on the all-weather and combines his racing career with that of a stallion.Cusoon, trained by Gary Moore and successful in the Go Pontin's Winter Derby Trial, is next in the market at 6/1, while Illustrious Blue, a winner in Dubai last month, is a 13/2 chance and could provide Sussex trainer William Knight with the biggest success of his career to date.Further enhancing the betdirect Winter Derby field are Alfie Flitts (7/1), winner of the Listed Serlby Stakes at Royal Windsor when last seen out in November, the 2006 fifth Cimyla (7/1) and the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Mighty (10/1), who won his first three races on the all-weather at Lingfield Park before finishing third in the Go Pontin's Winter Derby Trial.The Group One-placed Hattan (10/1), recent William Hill Lincoln Trial victor Orchard Supreme (12/1) and all-weather regular Grand Passion (16/1), runner-up 12 months ago, add further spice to what looks to be the strongest-ever renewal of the 10-furlong event.Hollywood Park Racecourse in Los Angeles, USA, has generously offered the winner of the #100,000 betdirect Winter Derby at Lingfield Park a free qualification to enter the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on Saturday, June 30, 2007.The Hollywood Gold Cup is a Grade 1 handicap for three-year-olds and upwards and is run over 10 furlongs on the new highly popular 'Cushion Track' laid last year. The surface is very similar to Lingfield Park's Polytrack.Saturday's Lingfield Park card also features two Listed contests, the #75,000 betdirectuk.com Spring Cup (2.40pm) and the #30,000 32Red.com Hever Sprint Stakes (3.50pm).A field of 14 has been declared for the betdirectuk.com Spring Cup, a seven-furlong race for three-year-olds, including last year´s Group Three Acomb Stakes victor Big Timer, Hinton Admiral, successful in the Listed ladbrokes.com Doncaster Stakes at Lingfield last year, the progressive performer Cesc from the Peter Makin stable and Mastership, trained by Clive Brittain and a very easy winner at Lingfield last time out. Membership captured this contest for Clive Brittain in 2003, while last year´s winning trainer, John Best, is represented by Hurricane Spirit, a four-time winner on the all-weather.Several excellent performers go to post in the 32Red.com Hever Sprint Stakes including Kevin Ryan´s smart performer King Orchisios, who collected the Listed pontins.com Cleeve Stakes at Lingfield Park on February 26. Border Music, recently successful in the Listed williamhill.co.uk Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton on March 10 and Celtic Mill, Strike Up The Band and Qadar add further interest to what is sure to be an ultra-competitive five-furlong sprint.The eight-race programme, the most valuable all-weather programme of the year with prize money totalling #277,500, begins at 1.40pm with the Digital Prints From Bonusprint Maiden Stakes and runs through to 5.20pm when the day concludes with the 32Red.com Handicap.Saturday, March 24 promises to be a thrilling day of sport and brings the curtain down on the 2006/2007 Bonusprint.com All-Weather Championships.The 2006/2007 Bonusprint.com All-Weather Championships are contested from November 6, 2006 to March 24, 2007, at Britain´s four all-weather racecourses, Lingfield Park, Southwell, Wolverhampton and Kempton Park.A glance at the leading trainers in the Bonusprint.com All-Weather Championships this winter attests to the increased competition and improved quality of runners on the all-weather circuit in recent times, with Classic-winning trainers such as Mark Johnston, Richard Hannon, Clive Brittain, William Haggas and Sir Mark Prescott regularly taking advantage of generous prize money.The Bonusprint.com All-Weather Championships offer a total of #80,000 in prizes, with #16,000 split between the stable staff of the top four trainers at the close of competition. The champion trainer collects a generous prize of #15,000, with an additional #7,500 going to his or her staff.Mark Johnston has enjoyed a profitable winter on the All-Weather with 42 winners and currently leads the trainers´ championship with win and place prize-money of #178,431. Johnston is hotly pursued by Richard Hannon who has accrued #158,582, while Kevin Ryan is currently in third with #152,652.The Bonusprint.com All-Weather champion jockey receives #12,000, while the runner-up takes #6,000, the third #4,000 and the fourth #2,000.Neil Callan has partnered 57 winners this winter and leads the race to be crowned Bonusprint.com All-Weather Champion Jockey. He is eight clear of his nearest rival, Joe Fanning, while Dane O´Neill is currently third with 38 wins.James Doyle and William Buick are going head-to-head to secure the Bonusprint.com All-Weather Champion Apprentice title, which carries a first-prize of #6,000 and #2,000 for the runner-up.Doyle, the son of trainer Jacqui Doyle, has 26 successes on the board, three more than Buick, who is the apprentice find of the season. All statistics calculated up to 4pm on Thursday, March 22.Latest Prices From betdirect For The betdirect Winter Derby Blue Bajan 9/2, Gentleman´s Deal 9/2, Cusoon 6/1, Illustrious Blue 13/2, Alfie Flits 7/1, Cimyla 7/1, Mighty 10/1, Hattan 10/1, Orchard Supreme 12/1, Grand Passion 16/1, Boo 40/1, Speedy Sam 40/1, All quoted: 1/4 odds 1, 2, 3 places.
