The opening handicap hurdle at Kempton looks a good race to kick off a decent Saturday card. I managed to catch SEA INVASION at 10/1 last night and that certainly looks a shrewd move as he has now been supported into 5/1 favourite. Chris Gordon’s novice steps into handicap company for the first time off a mark of 114 and on his point form he should really be walking in. He finished 2 lengths short of Slade Steel who is strongly fancied for one of the novice events at Cheltenham but he hasn’t quite replicated that form under rules yet. However, those runs have all come over 2 miles and have all been behind some smart animals but I dare say the step up in trip will bring about plenty of improvement. Should he be 5/1 favourite? I’m not sure but if you are on at bigger prices I think you’ve got a good bet.
It’s hard to ignore FLEGMATIK’s record around Kempton and I fancy him to double up tomorrow in the Coral trophy. He won a much better race than this last time out here and has only been nudged up 3lb. The loss or Tristan Durrell’s claim makes it a 6lb hike essentially but I’d say he beat a well handicapped one last time so is probably worth the extra weight. He certainly has less questions to answer than most of his rivals and it will take a good run to beat this Kempton specialist.
Kempton 1.15 – Sea Invasion
Kempton 3.37 – Flegmatik
