By Charlie McCann
The first five races on the BetVictor sponsored card at Kempton Park this afternoon are all juvenile events and Charlie Appleby, who saddled the winner of the corresponding 10f maiden 12-months ago courtesy of Devilment, can land the opener with Game Show (2.10). The trainer has won with 10 of his 49 runners at the track this year and I hope he can improve on that statistic today.
The selection shaped as if he would appreciate a step up to today's trip when staying on dourly over a mile at Thirsk last time and whilst his Derby entry looks more than a shade fanciful he is taken to make it third time lucky.
Appleby can follow up with Strong Chemistry (2.40) who made a highly promising debut over C&D earlier in the month when beaten a length in a four-runner conditions event. William Buick takes the mount on a colt who has an excellent draw in stall one and really should go one better than on debut.
The second division of the 7f maiden looks stronger with Scooner a likely type on debut for Roger Charlton and Dutch Law is worth noting if attracting market support. That said, this could be a red-letter day for the Boys In Blue as Mulzamm (3.10) is another Appleby runner who showed promise on debut behind a good sort of Richard Hannon. The horse runs in a hood today, which suggests that he is not exactly straight-forward, but his Doncaster debut sets a fair standard and he is likely to be hard to beat.
John Gosden's Rastanora (4.10) failed to improve on debut when favourite at Newmarket last month but that race was run on firm ground and her subsequent seven week lay-off suggests she may not have been in love with the ground. This surface is more forgiving and it will take a decent newcomer to lower her colours.
The feature event is the 3-y-o sprint handicap and Perfect Alchemy (4.40) despite a modest draw in stall seven is taken to land the prize for Ralph Beckett and James Doyle who had a 769/1 treble at Ayr on Saturday including riding the winner of both the Gold and Silver Cups. The recommendation has won three of her seven careers starts including two out of two over today's C&D and could be open to further improvement. Top-weight Polybius makes his all-weather debut and is a likely sort on the surface for the yard of David Lanigan whose string remain in excellent form.
There's further action from Leicester and Hamilton and Tim Easterby's Ventura Mist (3.50) taken to land the feature fillies' handicap at the latter. The selection flourished last autumn, including landing the valuable2-y-o Trophy at Redcar. She looks to be coming into her element once more, running well in competitive handicaps at Newmarket and York and looks sure to go close under talented 7lb apprentice Rachel Richardson.
At Leicester, Kevin Ryan's Charlie Croker (3.00) can cause an upset in the feature 2-y-o contest ahead of Brian Meehan's Fox Trotter and Charlie Appleby's Charming Thought. The selection was runner-up on debut behind subsequent G3 scorer Dark Reckoning at Pontefract and built on that effort when bolting up last month at Carlisle. The colt won in pleasing fashion and looks the ideal type to continue improving with Jamie Spencer replacing Barry McHugh in the plate.
For all the latest odds and more head to BetVictor.com
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