Kempton Saturday Preview - 15/01/22

With no bet in the first race of the day at Kempton we move straight onto the three mile Novices' Hurdle and Milan Bridge for Paul Nicholls caught upset the favourite.

The six year old gelding was bought for €65,000 after finishing a fair third in a decent P2P at Tipperary over three miles in April last year.

Given to Nicholls he made his rules debut at Lingfield in a good Novices' Hurdle over 2m 3 1/2f in November where he stayed on well to land the race.

He saw off the smart Marble Sands that day that is thought of very highly from the Fergal O'Brien yard and looking a horse that wants that step up to three miles, he gets that today.

One of our strongest bets at the prices on the card comes in the Class 3 Handicap Chase over 2m 4 1/2f with Champagne Court for Jeremy Scott.

This nine year old has been rejuvenated this term switching back to hurdles, running to a very high standard on all three of his starts this term.

In October he went to Fontwell and finished a good second behind a nice type for Gary Moore and then backed that up next time out at Sandown when another close third.

Last time out at Exeter he managed to see off strong challenges from two well handicapped types to get off the mark for the season on soft ground.

He now reverts top fences where he used to run in much better races than this off a much higher mark and if converting his hurdles form to the larger obstacles, he could make a mockery of his mark of 130.

One of the big races of the day at Kempton on Saturday is the Grade Two Silviniaco Conti Chase and with only four runners set to got to post it is going to be a very tactical affair.

We are siding with the Nicky Henderson trained Mister Fisher, who does have to bounce back to form like many in the field, but looks to be the class angle.

Mister Fisher sealed his first win over fences over at Cheltenham back in January 2020, having been sent chasing after a decent hurdling career.

He dropped back down to two miles to win the Lightening Novices’ chase on his next start, and then rounded out that season coming fourth in a strong renewal of the Marsh Novices' Chase behind Samcro. 

Last season he started poorly with him failing to complete in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, before bouncing straight back to form to win the Grade Two Peterborough Chase over 2m4f at Cheltenham again. 

Heading into the Ryanair Chase and tipped to go well, the gelding smacked nearly every fence and was pulled up before the finish, with his run to bad to be true.

The Seven Barrows team decided to try him over 3m1f next time out in the Grade One Betway Bowl at Aintree and although going well out in front, his jumping let him down again and he unseated Nico De Boinville.

He finished last term going down narrowly behind Frodon in the Grade Two Oaksey Chase, with that being one of his best runs of the season.

Keeping him at three miles for his seasonal return this term, he looked to need the run massively in the King George VI Chase when being pulled up.

Back in trip, in a much easier race and much fitter for his first run, he should go better here and looks the class angle.

The feature event on the card is the Listed Lanzarotte Handicap Hurdle over 2m5f and with a field of 20 runners heading to post we have picked out two horses at each way prices that might be worth following.

The first is the Paul Nicholls trained Gelino Bello, who now drops into a handicap having been running well behind the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle favourite in graded races.

A decent bumper horse last term being seen twice and winning on debut ahead of the smart Datsalrightgino before finishing a superb third in a bumper that has seen numerous winners come out of it.

Sent hurdling this term by Nicholls, the gelding made an impressive debut at Aintree in October winning a Maiden Hurdle over 2m4f by six lengths, with the second since winning again.

Looking to back that up he bumped into Blazing Khal at Cheltenham in a Grade Two event and had to settle for second over 2m5f.

Taking on the same rival again at Prestbury Park last time out over three miles this time, the same thing happened with him back in second, but that form looks extremely strong.

He now drops into his first handicap event off a mark of 138 which looks feasible enough to get involved.

At a similar price to our first selection, we think Green Book for Venetia Williams is a highly progressive animal that off a mark of 130 could get involved.

The five year old has come over from the flat for Venetia Williams this term having been a decent stayer for her on the flat and this term has extended that form over obstacles.

Making his seasonal debut in December on heavy at Haydock in a three runner event the front two pulled well clear of the third and he only went down by a length.

Learning a lot for that experience he got off the mark next time out at Haydock winning by close to five lengths in a decent handicap hurdle.

Up in trip at Ludlow last time out off the same mark of 122, he bolted up again revelling in the extra trip and only up 8lb he should go close.

With that, he is effectively off 120 with handy 10lb claimer Ned Fox taking the ride.

The penultimate event of the afternoon is the Class 2 Handicap Chase over three miles and the horse that makes most appeal is the Smarty Wild for Philip Hobbs.

The eight year old is a horse that does his best work around this mark and at this time of year, winning at this meeting last term off a mark of 130 in a similar handicap event over 20.5f.

Since then he has put up some nice thirds off higher marks, two starts ago at Ascot behind some progressive types and then last time up to three miles for the first time.

Down to a mark of 131 which is only 1lb higher than his last winning mark makes him a big player at a track he likes and being unexposed at the trip could be in his favour.

He is a horse that you need to catch at a good time and we believe Saturday is it.

The final event of the afternoon is the Class 3 Handicap Hurdle over two miles and we are giving another chance to Lord Baddesley who looks to be much better than his current mark.

Winning on hurdles debut last term in October 2020, he then went to Newbury in March and won again in a good Novices' Hurdle off a mark of 121.

This season he was sent over fences and on both starts did not take to it very well, this saw him reverted to hurdles last time out over course and distance and he was a good third off a mark of 125.

Down 1lb for this event he should go close, especially with the yard and jockey riding in flying form.