MANY people will be casting an eye ahead to Aintree with the Grand National little over a week away, and while this weekend is a low-key affair there are a few horses that have caught my eye at Kempton.
The Listed Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes (2.05pm) is the feature on the card and despite having to shoulder a penalty, Gary Moore’s Novus looks a worthy market leader and the one to beat.
She doesn’t excite me as a betting proposition at around 5/2, though, and I’m happy to look elsewhere on the card for better value.
Horses that have shown previous course form are always my first port of call when it comes to races on the all-weather at tracks like Kempton, and that makes CEMHAAN catch my eye in the Rosebery Handicap (2.40pm).
George Baker’s seven-year-old is a two-time winner at Kempton over trips ranging from a mile to 1m4f, so he clearly likes it around the Sunbury track.
He returned from a five-month break at the end of January when running a nice race in a competitive Class Two handicap at Kempton, where he just looked to run out of gas in the final stages of that 1m4f contest.
Now dropping back a furlong in trip, it remains to be seen if this will prove too sharp a test for him, but he is a frontrunner, so hopefully Neil Callan can get him to the front early and try to dictate the fractions.
While he may well be swamped at the finish, he should give a bold sight for a long way and if he’s still in front after the cutaway then you never know.
Of his rivals, Old Harrovian clearly has potential to progress again this season, but he looks short enough in the market.
I’m not sure Chillingham is as good on the all-weather as on turf and I wouldn’t be confident of Intinso backing up his win from last time.
With those doubts about the market leaders, Cemhaan certainly makes appeal at an each-way price of 10/1.
I’m also happy to take on favourite, Novel Legend, in the following Queen’s Prize Handicap (3.15pm).
The one I like here is Charlie Johnston’s TENERIFE SUNSHINE, who is being turned out again quickly after finishing fourth at Lingfield on Good Friday.
He was well-backed that day and was sent off the 4/1 joint-favourite, but I thought he received a negative ride and was always posted too far back in the field.
That meant he got caught on heels off the home turn and from there he was never going to make an impact.
However, once he was pulled to the far outside of the field, he notably made up good late ground despite not being strongly driven, suggesting he had plenty left to give at the line.
That was also his first attempt at this two-mile trip and he looked to see it out well, so there could be a bit of improvement still to come from him.
I particularly like the fact that the Johnson yard have secured the services of William Buick well in advance, which hints at their confidence.
As with many of the yard’s runners, Tenerife Sunshine is used to backing up quickly, so the fact he ran only last week shouldn’t be an issue.
Off bottom-weight, I made him nearly favourite on my tissue, so a price of 9/1 is well worth snapping up.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Cemhaan e/w 2.40pm Kempton
Tenerife Sunshine e/w 3.15pm Kempton