Big Timer Handed Spring Cup Mission Big Timer, impressive winner of the Acomb Stakes for Ian Semple last year, is looking to get back on the winning trail in the Betdirectuk.com Spring Cup at Lingfield on Saturday.The son of Street Cry travelled over to America following his York success for the Grade One Champagne Stakes at Belmont.However, he was never travelling at any stage after finding the dirt track unsuitable and Semple is hoping he will return to his best this weekend.'All being well he is a definite. We have been a little bit held up with the weather and one thing and another but he seems in good form and his work has been good,' said the Lanarkshire handler.'His coat's a bit backward but he seems in good form and on the whole he seems similar to last year.'With him being a gelding we are a little bit limited. We were going to go for the Greenham and the Jersey but the money is good in this race so it seems a nice starting point.'He hasn't really grown to be honest and he may even be a little bit lighter. He's a good size but he's still a little bit light and I could have done with him putting a bit more on,' he added.'It has been a bit of a worry over the winter but his work has been of the highest order and he is going past the others on the gallops as if they are not there.'I'm pretty sure he'll get the mile in time ? he's well-balanced and he settles well enough and he's by Street Cry.'Semple is keen to put last year's overseas adventure to the back of his mind, and admits to being slightly annoyed with himself for letting Big Timer take his chance stateside.'We knew as soon as we arrived in Belmont we had no chance. To be fair I should have walked the track beforehand but you live and learn,' he said.'The idea originally was to run at Woodbine on turf but we got swayed by people telling us to go for this 400,000 race at Belmont.'The surface was very deep and slower than Southwell. Also I had been told that a lot of the two-year-old's in New York were running on anabolic steroids and bute and they said if we thought we had a good size juvenile to wait until we saw them.'He's back in good form now though and even though we have been training through the dark wet months, it is much the same for everybody.'(C) PA Sport
