Top quality National Hunt racing returns to our screens after last week’s modest offering. The highlight of a good Kempton card is the Tolworth Hurdle, a grade 1 event for novice hurdlers over two miles.
David Pipe runs The Liquidator who was an impressive 15-length winner at Cheltenham on his most recent start. At the time that looked a very smart performance, although his task was made considerably easier by some sloppy jumping from his rivals.
Pipe has said that the fact this race has been moved from Sandown could count against The Liquidator who is still a possible for the two and a half mile novice at the festival in March. You would imagine that the tactics would be to make sure there is a decent gallop with this small field and he looks the one to beat at around 5-2.
I am a big fan of Irving who may have been given a race by Prince Siegfried at Ascot last time had John Ferguson’s former Group 3 flat winner not fallen at the last. I am surprised to see him as high as 10-1 in places and he could be the danger.
The information on running and riding plans for the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle was virtually non-existent this week until the final declarations were made on Friday. This surely cannot be a good way to encourage punters to invest ante-post. Now that we finally know what is and what isn’t running, the one to be on looks like Saphir Du Rheu.
The grey looked as if he had just joined in between the last two flights when winning at Sandown in December. Admittedly he has gone up over a stone as a result but the 5lbs taken off by Harry Derham should help and he is narrowly preferred to Junction Fourteen. Emma Lavelle’s gelding has been hyped up since winning over course and distance but that may not have been as strong a race as that won by Saphir Du Rheu.
Twinlight looks like a chaser with a future and I will be supporting him to beat Captain Chris tomorrow. He had his field well beaten turning for home in a Grade 2 chase at Cork last time out and was allowed to hack home from two out. You can ignore the sticky jumping over those fences as he wasn’t going fast enough to jump them any better!
The Liquidator at 5-2 William Hill
Saphir Du Rheu at 5-1 Bet365
Twinlight at 11-4 BetVictor
Betfair:
Bet on Henrik Stenson to become the BMW PGA Championship Winner.
Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
Back One For Arthur to win the Grand National.
Bet365:
Back Mexico to win the Confederations Cup.
