Sprinters and improving fillies are the order of the day on Saturday as, despite some decent jumping action elsewhere, we attempt to go through the middle part of Kempton Park’s all-weather card on the Flat.
There are potentially four very good value bets in Sunbury-on-Thames with the Listed fillies’ race the highlight, a contest which can potentially be won by a daughter of superstar Frankel. Here are the weekend’s best bets:
Embed from Getty Images2.05 Kempton (5f Handicap) – A MOMENTOFMADNESS
Charlie Hills’ five-year-old got off to a very slow start on his seasonal debut at Lingfield two weeks ago but ran on well to snatch third place in a decent handicap. He has the profile of an improving horse overall and with the benefit of that recent experience he should be fully fit now and can show his best under star jock William Buick to take this one.
Oisin Murphy has been booked to ride Tarboosh for Paul Midgley and its easy to see him continuing his improvement, though as of yet he has not quite shown his best form on the all-weather. He’s decent value for a place though and will be very interesting when taken back to the turf for a summer campaign.
I can’t imagine Mick Easterby bringing one of his down to Kempton just for the day out so his Bowson Fred may be expected to do better than when seventh at Wolverhampton recently, though that was a valuable race and the form of it may not be too bad anyway. Whether he can get to A Momentofmadness though is in question.
2.50 Kempon (6f Handicap) – MAZZINI
Having been improving nicely before taking a break following a slightly under-par run in November, James Fanshawe’s hope has an outstanding chance in this race at a fair price. Having won a decent handicap easily at Chelmsford in July before running a stormer at the same track in a valuable conditions race in the autumn it’s clear he likes this surface.
The break should have done him good and with his regular rider George Wood having continued to gain experience since the horse has been off the track, the 3lbs taken off his back by the claimer now can only aid his cause further. Expert sprint trainer Robert Cowell now has Raucous at his disposal and though he may want the former William Haggas inmate to come down in the weights a little more, he could go well now refreshed.
Plenty of others are in with place chances in a competitive race including Hammer Gun, Raven’s Lady, Pipers Note and likely favourite Tropics.
3.15 Kempton (Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes) – LA FIGLIA
I’m a big admirer of the Frankel’s and believe they will all carry on improving so it’ll be no surprise to see the twice-raced filly La Figlia leave last year’s form well behind and prove to be a little too good for these rivals.
James Doyle rides and can get her in a nice early position before probably showing a better turn of speed than the others at the business end of the race to see off likely favourite and Group One hopeful Smart Call of Sir Michael Stoute.
The former South African Smart Call did OK last season but in all honesty probably didn’t live up to expectations and will have it all to do from a wide draw, though she of course remains capable at this level.
Last weekend’s All-Weather Championships showed us that the French horses can come over and show a couple of pounds of improvement in these races and that puts Hunaina right in the picture, though should the race be as strongly run as anticipated she may well be taken off her feet slightly meaning she’ll use more energy than she’s used to in the early part of the contest.
La Figlia is entered in the Lockinge next month and is clearly expected to go onto to better things as the season progresses so anything better than 3/1would represent great value here.
3.50 Kempton (Fillies’ Conditions Stakes) – DATHANNA
The Godolphin filly is rated below her two main rivals despite having more experience and carries a penalty too, however I feel that the French form of Crown Vallary and Model is perhaps not as good as it looks on the books and they may actually be at a level below Charlie Appleby’s 3yo.
The daughter of Dubawi will have come on a ton over the winter and I think she’ll be a stronger galloper than the other two as well as arguably appreciating this surface more. With not much to beat in a small race she rates a fair bet under Will Buick, though she won’t make us rich.
No comments:
Post a Comment