Kempton Saturday Preview - 09/01/21

The first runner of the day comes in the Class 4 Juvenile Hurdle over two miles and the horse that takes the eye on debut over hurdles is Table Mountain for Tom Symonds.

This trainer has had a wonderful season, especially with horses first time out and we believe he can turn this flat horse into a superb hurdles prospect.

The four year old filly was a fair youngster on the flat for Andrew Balding winning a nice race over two miles at Ascot and now being pitched into this sphere she looks very interesting.

She will be getting weight off the majority of the field which is a huge plus and if handling the soft ground should be in the mix.

The Novices' Hurdle over three miles sees a classy field of runners head to post with he two horses at the top of the market very hard to split.

This time around we have gone with the Kim Bailey trained Bobhopeornohope who is stepping up to three miles for the first time in his career, but from his runs this term looks a stayer in the making.

Having been average in bumpers last term, Bailey sent him over hurdles this season and he is currently unbeaten over timber winning on debut at Exeter over 2m5f and then backing that up last time out at Doncaster in a better race.

The step up to three miles is sure to suit, with him being gritty and determined in the finish always finding more for pressure, he just needs to handle the soft ground.

Next up is the Class 3 Handicap Chase over 2m4f and Smarty Wild for Philip Hobbs is a horse that has been knocking on the door all season and we now feel it is time for him to be let in.

The six year old is a value each way contender at 7/1 having ran to a good standard on all of his outings this term, being in and around the frame in similar events.

Having made the change to fences this term, he started his season off at Ascot over 2m2f when finishing a good third behind two smart runners that have franked the form since.

Next time out he was dropped in trip and it did not suit him aswell as this distance does today as he bounced back last time out when a good third at Ascot behind two decent prospects.

Having not gone up in the weights for that run it is only a matter of time before he gets his head in front and at 7/1 it is worth taking the chance on him.

Two For Gold is our selection in the three mile Class 2 Handicap Chase and although needing to bounce back this eight year old has done not a lot wrong in his career.

The gelding has been a consistent type throughout his career, placing and winning in these types of events for the last few seasons.

This term he finished a good second at Wetherby on his debut before taking on the Ladbrokes Trophy and ultimately getting outclassed and was pulled off.

He will need to put that run behind him, but dropping back to three miles he can get back to being the progressive horse of old and also runs off 1lb lower than his last event, which is a bonus.

The first big race of the day at Kempton is the rescheduled Grade Two Relkeel Hurdle over 2m5f and we have sided with the favourite McFabulous.

The gelding has promised so much in the last few seasons but this year stepping up in trip should see him flourish and having landed the Grade Two Persian War Novices' Hurdle on debut, he proved how good he can be.

The six year old was a superstar in bumpers, landing three of his four outings, including the Grade Two contest at the Grand National meeting at Aintree.

He stepped up to hurdles last term and took some time to fully get warm to jumping the obstacles, but on his third start got off the mark over timber at Market Rasen, he then backed that up at Kempton next time out to land an 18 runner Grade Three Handicap Hurdle.

The gelding made his seasonal debut at Chepstow in the Grade Two Persian War Novices' Hurdle and blew a decent field away by three lengths.

He then stepped out of novice company in the Grade Two Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and he finished a good third behind Paisley Park and Thyme Hill.

Those two runners have since gone on to frank the form in Grade One company and that leaves McFabulous the right favourite for this event and the one to beat.

The other feature race at Kempton on Saturday is the Grade Two Silviniaco Conti Chase and the standout entry is the Kim Bailey trained Imperial Aura.

The seven year old last season rose through the chasing ranks, racing four times at Cheltenham placing in two smart events before going on to win another two.

One of those wins came at the festival in the 20 runner Listed Novices' Handicap Chase and the form line he holds has been franked by many horses throughout last season.

The superstar stepped up for his seasonal debut at Carlisle last week in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Listed Chase up against some proven chasers.

However, the gelding showed massive improvement to land the event and his handler stepped up him up next time out to the Grade Two 1965 Chase at Ascot.

Imperial Aura is quickly becoming one of the most improved chasers throughout the season after going on to land the event with ease.

He heads back into in another Grade Two as favourite on Saturday and is odds on to keep his unbeaten run for the season going and on form looks tough to beat.

The penultimate event of the afternoon at Kempton is the Listed Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle over 2m5f and huge filed of runners head to post for this one.

The one that takes the eye at the weights and for ability is the bottom weighted Misty Whisky for Harry Fry who looks a big contender getting weight off the rest of the field.

The seven year old mare is overly consistent finishing second in all three of her events over hurdles last term and this season is currently unbeaten on both her starts.

Having put the seconditis behind her, she got off the mark for the campaign at Uttoxeter in a Mares' Handicap Hurdle and then backed that up last time out at Ludlow when stepping up in trip.

She runs in this race off 120, which is the same mark as her last win and also having a handy 3lb claimer on board could make her very well handicapped.

The final runner of the day comes in the Class 3 Handicap Hurdle over two miles and the Johnny Farrelly trained Breffniboy is a horse on a upward curve.

This seven year old can not stop winning five of his last six events, seeing fly up the weights and still perform to a high standard.

After winning off a mark of 100 in October 2020, he is now racing off 128 and still looks to have something in hand on the handicapper.

Having landed a hat-trick of wins he headed to Cheltenham off 122 and managed to stay on best of the pack up the hill to land a similar event.

He has gone up another 6lb for that win but we don't think it will be enough to stop him, already being a course and distance winner at this track.