By Charlie McCann
A competitive all-weather card at Kempton this afternoon including a cracking mile handicap for three-year-olds and upwards. Until Midnight tried to steal the race from the front at Lingfield last time but was chased down close home and has been raised 1lb for that effort.
Bobby Benton (1.45) was no match for Born In Bombay over C&D back in February but Andrew Balding’s winner went on to land the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot from a mark of 87 and the selection remains potentially very well treated off his current mark of 65. His brother Grendisar, who won at Lingfield on Saturday, stays 12 furlongs and he would be a confident selection if it were not for the fact that he has drawn stall 12 of 13. The hope is there is plenty of pace in the race but he and Until Midnight (stall 13) have the worst of the draw and confidence is tempered as a result.
Fair Comment (2.50) has only won one of her 33 career starts but she ran well back on polytrack at Lingfield last time off this mark and her sole success was under today’s pilot David Probert. She looked ready for a step up in trip when staying on well over 10f last time and this 11f trip ought to be ideal.
Head Space (3.50) has finished 1st and 3rd on his two starts at Kempton and obviously enjoys today’s surface. The selection is 4lb higher than when scoring over C&D back in October and it might have been the drop back to the minimum trip that beat him here earlier in the month when he stayed on strongly to finish third off this mark.
Hard to oppose Haines (4.20) carrying a 6lb penalty for winning over C&D five days ago although that wide-margin (9L) success was gained in a slow time. Andrew Balding’s stable have been in excellent form all year and the selection has a wonderful stall in four if he tries to repeat his recent success when he made all.
At Bangor Stone Light (1.00) made a pleasing seasonal debut at Ascot back in November and will appreciate the step back up in trip in the two-and-a-half mile handicap chase. It was only a three-runner mares’ contest she won at Warwick back in March but she jumped well and is open to considerable improvement.
Restraint Of Trade (2.00) won twice as a juvenile for Godolphin and made a promising first start over timber for Jennie Candlish when third at Aintree earlier in the month and is entitled to improve with that experience behind him. He only cost his current connections £16,000 and the stable had an excellent winner at Haydock on Saturday.
The Maiden Hurdle sees two excellent long term prospects in opposition with marginal preference for Coologue (2.30) despite the fact that he has finished runner up in all three careers starts including when long odds on at Fontwell last time on heavy ground. Today’s sounder surface (forecast good to soft) ought to suit and he can see of the challenge of Ma Du Fou a Bumper winner who was also beaten at odds on at Wetherby in his first start over hurdles.
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