Kempton Preview - 26/02/21

The opening card at Kempton sees ten go to post for the Close Brothers Asset Finance Handicap Hurdle over 2m5f and we have picked out an e/w selection trained by Olly Murphy.

Gunsight Ridge is racing off just 122 and the horse that beat him last time won easily off 131 the next time which means he is likely to be a high 130’s horse once the handicapper has taken a look.

That would mean our selection has something up his sleeve and the conditions of today’s race has fell perfect with his best form coming on a decent surface.

Aidan Coleman rides.

Paul Nicholls has an excellent record in the Pencil Novices’ Chase and Tamaroc Du Mathan, his sole runner in the race, looks to have a big chance of enhancing his CV.

The 6-y-o novice chaser jumped like a stag on his first start over fences only to bump into Arkle favourite Shishkin in the Wayward Lad next time out.

He finished 13l adrift of the favourite that day, but that represents strong form in the context of this race, therefore he will take all the beating.

Ga Law should not be ruled out on his return to a quicker surface.

The first graded event on the card is the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle where Alan King’s formerly smart flat horse seeks to add to his impressive hurdle debut.

The 4-y-o son of Sea The Moon took a while to get to the front that day but he was a comfortable winner in the end and he should improve plenty for the run.

Second place Casa Loupi re-opposes, however if our selection brushes up on his jumping, it is hard to see him not extending that 1l winning margin.

The SkyBet Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle is another race dominated by Paul Nicholls and he holds the highest-rated in the field in Atholl Street.

This son of Jeremy is bred to appreciate a fence but he has outlined plenty of ability of timber in two starts and he is taken to make it 3/3.

Both of his victories have come on a decent surface which he will get today and he rates the type to keep on progressing.

Calico and Cape Gentleman are sure to be popular but Trevor Hemmings’ 6-y-o sets a useful standard to aim at.

We have two e/w selections for this tight-looking handicap.

Firstly, The Butcher Said looks overpriced if his recent wind-operation has resolved his weak finish in the SkyBet Handicap Chase at Doncaster.

Olly Murphy’s charge was bang in with a chance before weakening three out and a weak finish like this is often a sign of a wind issue.

He handles good ground and is operating off a nice handicap mark.

At a much bigger price, Young Wolf is taken to run a big race for last weekend’s Betfair Hurdle victor Jonjo O’Neill.

This full-brother to Neon Wolf may well be out-classed at this level, but he is one that will relish the drying conditions and his form figures at this trip read: 11112.

He has ran two below par races this term (soft ground) and has subsequently dropped 4lb in the handicap.