15:11 Good afternoon from a sunny, surreal, Kempton where we have a seven race card and the going is Good
I say surreal because the course is five miles from Heathrow as the crow flies and there isn't a plane to be seen.
Our selections are:-
16:15 |
1 |
Aather |
16:50 |
1 |
Masked Man |
17:25 |
1 |
Alphabetical |
17:55 |
1 |
Down The Stretch |
18:25 |
9 |
Timeshift |
18:55 |
6 |
Carabinier |
19:25 |
1 |
Christy Ring |
15:20 Much more relaxed here than Ascot yesterday, where penguin suites will be de-rigour in a few weeks time.
15:31 Another non-runner Fahrisee is out of the opener
16:05 Our opening contest is the two mile williamhill.com/bonus 25 Novices’ Hurdle in which 13 line up, Fahrisee is the non-runner (lame).
16:30 A good pace in our opener with the winner coming home nearly two seconds faster than standard.
The only “surprise” was that the favourite was not the winner. The prize went to Clerk’s Choice and there was no fluke as he came home twelve lengths clear.
He was held up in the early stages before making progress down the back straight and one of three in front turning for home.
The other two in contention at that point were Wade Farm Billy and the running on favourite Aather (who looked to be going best of all).
However as they came down the home straight Clerk’s Choice held the clear advantage and after the last Aather seemed to accept his fate, allowing the winner to pull clear.
Aather held on for the runners-up spot and Wade Farm Billy held on for third.
Long time leader, Outside The Box, came home fourth.
16:37 Three runners for our second contest, the extended 2½ mile williamhill.com-bingo Novices’ Chase.
All three look OK in the parade ring although none of them look exceptional.
17:02 Not really a contest. The top two in the betting hacked round together until Masked Man hit the front down the back straight.
Polyfast did a slight recovery on the home turn but not for long as Kasked Man pulled clear in the home straight.
The winning distance was eight lengths but the winner was value for much more.
Delgany Run is usually a front runner but today was settled and by half way was tailed off.
Looking to take third place prize money he was a fence behind turning for home. Blundering three out he was pulled up before the next.
17:18 Race three is the williamhill.com – Betting Handicap Chase over the extended 2½ miles.
Eleven line up, Cloud Nine and Morestead were both on their toes in the parade ring.
17:41 A cracking finish to our third contest with three all in with a chance.
High Jack, who hit the front four out having been settled in around fourth spot held on by a neck.
However it was much closer for second spot with judge Di Clark having to revert to the camera to separate Cloud Nine and Ballycarney, the verdict going to the former by a short head.
Ballycarney was with the pace throughout, tracking the early leader Alphabetical (4th for the fourth race running), whilst Cloud Nine (joint favourite) was settled in rear before running on.
The other joint favourite, Blue Dark, ran a stinker eventually pulling up.
17:49 Race four is the three mile williamhill.com – Poker Handicap Chase in which eight line up.
Back Exit was the negative in the parade ring, shaking his head as if he had St Vitus Dance.
18:10 Almost a race of two halves with Macmar setting the pace on the first circuit and the start of the second, before Back Exit took up the running at the 13th fence. Once in front he was never headed and, in truth, faced only one potential challenger in the shape of Sea Cadet, although the challenge was more in hope than expectation.
The favourite, Rapid Increase, was settled mid-division and although making some progress he never looked to be a serious threat. It looked as though the favourite was going to have a fight for third spot as Down The Stretch pulled upsides on the home turn and he looked the better before unexpectedly pulling up approaching two out, leaving Rapid Increase to come home an unopposed third.
18:21 Our biggest field of the evening as 17 line up for the 2m 5f williamhill.com – Casino Novices’ Handicap Chase.
For novices they were mainly relaxed in the parade ring. Azulada Bay had two handlers and Maraksh was getting a little warm.
18:43 They say the race isn’t over until it is over and this is a good example.
As the field turned for home Prescelli hit the front and was soon several lengths clear looking to have the race as his mercy.
Swincombe Rock was the only possible challenger but looked to have too much to do. …. however coming to the last Prescelli “hit the wall” and her stride was shortening.
This opened the door for the favourite Swincombe Rock and he needed no second asking hitting the front on the run-in.
Doctor Foxtrot was running best of all in the end to take third with the other joint favourite Azulada Bay back in fouth.
18:52 The first of two 15 runner bumpers next, both sponsored by William Hill.
19:13 A race where the complexion totally changed in the home straight.
Smart Freddy attempted to make all, holding the lead until half way down the home straight, at which point the cavalry charged.
First to attack, and looking very impressive, was Fontana who came down the centre from seemingly nowhere and hot on his heels was The Reformer and the pair charged up the run-in pulling clear of their rivals.
In the end Fontana got the verdict by a neck.
The pair came home eight lengths clear of their rivals, headed by Sir Cool, who had been with the pace.
The favourite Carabinier looked to have every chance turning for home but found nothing under pressure, eventually coming home tenth.
19:45 Poppy Comes Running was heavily backed on debut at Folkestone only to try and run out when in front and unseating her rider.
Today she made amends and took division two of the bumper in promising style, making late progress and recording a 2¾ length victory.
Somewhatinevitable was also making good late progress to take second spot and Mr Chow was similarly making late progress to grab third.
As in division one an unimpressive favourite, this time Christy Ring, who never looked a winner.
An important note on the times for these final two bumpers.
The time of the race is taken from the release of the tape to the winner crossing the line.
Looking at the times at face value the second bumper was run five seconds faster than the first.
However ……. in the first division it took nine seconds for the runners to cross the start line from when the tape was released. In the second it took four seconds.
Factoring these discrepancies the two divisions were actually run in almost identical times.
19:48 That’s it from Kempton where we have had a disappoint crowd for a national hunt meeting, although I’m sure the combination of a 4:15 start and a meeting at Windsor, just down the road, must have also made a difference.
A more “traditional” start time for our evening coverage tomorrow where Towcester get underway at 17:25.
From Kempton, good evening.
Return to race archive:
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Non-Runners
The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.
SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate
Non-runners
16:15
2 Fahrisee (lame - SC
18:25
3 Manelle Bay (stiff - VC 10:41)
Results
16:15 Novices Hurdle 2m
1st 11 Clerk's Choice 9/1
2nd 1 Aather 11/8 fav
3rd 5 Wade Farm Billy 4/1
14 Ran
Distances 12 & 5
Fav second
Tote
Win £14.80
Places £4.20 £1.20 £1.80
Exacta £53.00
CSF £22.11
Time 3' 49.2" (fast 1.8")
16:50 Novices Chase 2m 4f 110yds
1st 1 Masked Man 8/13 fav
2nd 2 Polyfast 6/4
3 Ran
Distances 8
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.40
Exacta £1.40
CSF £1.96
Time 5' 16.4" (slow 9.4")
17:25 Handicap Chase 2m 4f 110yds
1st 10 High Jack 8/1
2nd 5 Cloud Nine 5/1 jf
3rd 3 Ballycarney 11/2
11 Ran
Distances neck & short head
Fav second & No 9
Tote
Win £13.00
Places £3.50 £1.10 £2.30
Exacta £48.50
CSF £48.14
Tricast £237.57
Time 5' 09.4" (slow 2.4")
17:55 Handicap Chase 3m
1st 6 Back Exit 20/1
2nd 5 Sea Cadet 4/1
3rd 4 Rapid Increase 4/1 fav
8 Ran
Distances 7 & 25
Fav third
Tote
Win £33.80
Places £5.50 £2.60 £1.80
Exacta £85.10
CSF £97.57
Tricast £255.08
Time 6' 11.6" (slow 12.6")
18:25 Handicap Hurdle 2m 5f
1st 12 Swincombe Rock 15/2 jf
2nd 14 Prescelli 9/1
3rd 2 Doctor Foxtrot 14/1
4th 10 Azulada Bay 15/2 jf
17 Ran Nr 3
Distances 6 & 5
Fav first and fourth
Tote
Win £10.80
Places £2.50 £2.40 £4.50 £2.60
Exacta £101.90
CSF £64.87
Tricast £937.88
Time 5' 06.2" (slow 0.2")
18:55 NH Open Flat 2m
1st 8 Fontano 16/1
2nd 4 The Reformer 9/1
3rd 12 Sir Cool 20/1
15 Ran
Distances neck & 8
Fav 6 Carabinier 15/8 (10th)
Tote
Win £33.50
Places £6.90 £2.20 £8.20
Exacta £165.80
CSF £140.86
Time 3' 56.1"
19:25 NH Open Flat 2m
1st 13 Poppy Comes Running 11/1
2nd 5 Somewhatinevitable 12/1
3rd 4 Mr Chow 8/1
15 Ran
Distances 2¾ & ¾
Fav 1 Christy Ring 13/8 (7th)
Tote
Win £11.40
Places £3.10 £6.90 £3.80
Exacta £130.50
CSF £132.01
Time 3' 51.0"
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