Kempton – Monday 22nd November

It was another exciting weekend of action and culminated in Run Wild Fred winning the Troytown Handicap Chase yesterday. As a keen follower of that horse, to varying degrees of success over the past couple of seasons – it was a good feeling to finally get his big day in the sun and even though it wasn’t a massive price – a winner is a winner! Added to a couple of places, it left us in a good spot for the third day on the trot and has turned around our fortunes massively for the month in the process. Today looks tricky, and I have just two selections from Kempton to be interested in. 

Starting off with the 1.50, which is the 3m listed mares hurdle and is the feature race on the card. There are only five runners in this race and Willie Mullins brings over an odds-on shot in the shape of My Sister Sarah. She definitely had the ability to win this race and is well weighted given the race conditions. However, the balance of her form leaves a little bit to be desired and I’m not sure she is the most trustworthy to be parting with our hard earned money at a less than favourable price. 

Instead, I will be siding with the improving Dragon Bones, who comes into this race after running a very solid race in second to Bardenstown Lad at Cheltenham. Those who follow my ante-post tips on this page will know that I’m a keen follower of that form and she was arguably a tad unlucky as she didn’t get the breaks when she needed them. She was a late non-runner at Cheltenham last week and instead comes here, where she should be suited by the demands of this track. She does have it to find on the figures with the favourite, but there is the feeling that there might be more to come from this horse – and should be backed as a result. A general price of 9/4 seems fair to have a crack at the favourite. 

The 3.25 race is the final race on the card at Kempton and looks like one of the more competitive races of the card even though it only has the seven runners going to post. You could make a case for plenty of these, who have all arrived in good form – most notably the progressive Sea the Sea – who has won her last three but has been hiked up in the weights as a result. Timberman should also run his race, especially after a solid third at Cheltenham last time out, when running on strongly towards the finish. 

MoHowever, preference on this occasion goes to the unexposed Paso Doble – who is on a retrieval mission after a misfire at Chepstow last time out. Having been a good middle distance flat horse when trained in Ireland, he ran well in the Adonis on his stable debut over this course and distance. He followed up by winning impressively over this C&D in May – when winning by 3 lengths. He was then sent to the Persian War at Chepstow when failing to deliver his best and was eventually well beaten. The form of that race looks okay and he didn’t give his running, so there is reason to forgive him on his handicap debut. On a track that is more likely to suit his strengths, a mark of 126 might not be too overbearing. At a price of 5/2 with Paddy Power, I’m going to take that risk.