Kempton selections Saturday 10th January
Despite the loss of Warwick and Fairyhouse today, we still have a good jumps card at Kempton to look forward to with the Lanzarote Hurdle a definite highlight. Trainer Dan Skelton will be looking to add to his sizable lead in the trainers title with strong fancies in both selected races. Nocte Volatus was a winner at Sandown in the column last week (advised 4/1).
Kempton 3.17: Beat the Bat & A Pai De Nom
A very competitive Lanzarote Hurdle, but it looks worth siding with two of the market leaders.
That said, BEAT THE BAT has been easy to back this morning, but he has an excellent record in these top handicaps and remains feasibly treated. A step up in distance from 2m definitely helped him last season, where he was a fine second to Steel Ally at Haydock over 2m3f, placed fourth in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival and finished up with a fifth at Punchestown over 3m, despite meeting trouble in running off the home bend.
A chasing career beckoned this season, but having raced only once over the bigger fences, when staying on strongly for third in a hot beginners chase at Exeter over an inadequate 2m1f, it seems connections are happy for him to remain a novice over fences and start again next season. Only a pound higher than for Cheltenham, he can still make his mark off 134. He is a horse who can hold a prominent position throughout his races, something that will be important around here.
He might have to go some though to beat the progressive A PAI DE NOM who has only been beaten by one horse in four outings over hurdles. Two introductory outings at Newton Abbot where quite hard for the handicapper to assess, but it transpired than an opening handicap mark of 116 was extremely generous.
He defied his inexperience and a big field to win at the Cheltenham November meeting over this trip and was understandably given an 8lbs rise for that. Dan Skelton found a suitable weak novice event over 2m at Leicester for him next, where he was given an incredibly confident ride by Tristan Durrell to ease to the front close to the line. He was not penalised at all for that success and reverts back up in trip and to handicaps for this major prize. There is surely more to come from this 6yo this season.
Kempton 3.53: Quaviste
Another Skelton gelding to be given an easy time this season is QUAVISTE before switching to his handicap debut here.
Thought good enough to take his chance in the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree last season, he has had the statutory three runs in novice hurdles this season to qualify for a handicap mark. Ridden so far with great restraint, he is yet to win, but displayed conspicuous promise behind the high class Japetus at Market Rasen on Boxing Day, and can build on that experience today.
Should similar waiting tactics be employed by Harry Skelton today, he is likely to have a good strong pace to go at with the likes of We’re Red and Blue and King William Rufus in the line up, so taking their time could well pay dividends this afternoon.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – A Pai de Nom – 3.17 Kempton – 9/2 William Hill (¼ odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Beat the Bat – 3.17 Kempton – 10/1 William Hill (1/4 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Quaviste – 3.53 Kempton – 4/1 general (1/5 odds 1st 3)
