Kempton Lanzarote Hurdle Day - Copybet
Kempton's Lanzarote Hurdle is one of the traditionally strong January handicaps run in the first month of the year and the latest instalment of the race has attracted a field of 17 to the Sunbury-on-Thames venue.
They race at Kempton from 12:20 through until 15:53 on Saturday afternoon, with the Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase (14:40) supporting the feature Lanzarote Hurdle (15:17).
Kalif Du Berlais – Kempton
The Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase has drawn just four runners and Paul Nicholls looks well set to maintain his stranglehold on the race with Kalif Du Berlais.
The contest is named after Nicholls' dual King George winner and the Ditcheat handler has won three of the last five runnings with Frodon, Master Tommytucker and Pic D'orhy.
He saddles this six-year-old against a trio of older, much more exposed rivals in Master Chewy, Boombawn and Edwardstone and it will be disappointing should Harry Cobden's partner not grasp this opening.
They were beaten into fourth in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter on seasonal comeback in November but last season's Grade 1-winning novice should leave that well behind and it is form that has been franked by the front pair – Thistle Ask and Saint Segal – winning valuable contests at Kempton and Kelso since.
Leader In The Park – Kempton
Ben Pauling and Ben Jones return to the scene of their Boxing Day triumph in the King George and there could be more Kempton joy awaiting the trainer/jockey combo as Leader In The Park goes for in the 2m4½f handicap chase that is race two on the card.
The eight-year-old shaped with lots of promise on his seasonal return at Newbury in November where he was second-best in the Sir Peter O'Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase over slightly further having made most of the running.
The third and fourth from that race came out and won valuable pots at Aintree and Newbury over Christmas.
Leader In The Park improved from his first run to come here and score second-time-out over track and trip last season and, despite going up 4lb in the ratings for his near miss six weeks ago, he can repeat the Kempton feat.
Krak – Kempton
The Lanzarote is a typically competitive betting heat and there are cases to be made for plenty of the contenders. One that looks overpriced is Krak for Nigel Twiston-Davies in the colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.
The six-year-old only contested one handicap in Ireland for previous trainer Stuart Crawford, winning at Cork (2m3f, soft) in April off a mark of 118.
His first assignment for this yard came in the Persian War at Chepstow over a similar trip on good ground in October off 12lb higher, where he was still in contention before fading late on, as Sam Twiston-Davies accepted his fate readily.
Two runs over fences have followed in December but the assessor has dropped him 5lb now back over timber. He's lightly-raced and has scope for better so could be worth taking a chance on.