John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Monday.
Grade 1 runner-up Moss makes plenty of appeal
Kempton’s card features a listed hurdle for mares (14:30) where Fergal O’Brien’s That’ll Do Moss has a leading chance on the form she showed at Fairyhouse on her final start last season. The bumper winner made a successful debut over hurdles at Ayr before finishing runner-up in each of her three remaining starts, including when beaten a short head by Hollygrove Cha Cha in the Grade 2 Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown.
However, much her best effort came at Fairyhouse in April when she was sent off at 50/1 against an army of Willie Mullins’ mares in the Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle. That’ll Do Moss ran a cracker in finishing clear of the rest in second, chasing the leader going to the last and staying on well to finish two and a quarter lengths behind Aurora Vega.
That’ll Do Moss shapes as though three miles will suit, but a line through Aurora Vega suggests she has the beating of Irish raider Dream On Baby who had also been runner-up to the same rival, in receipt of weight, in a Grade 3 contest at Fairyhouse earlier last season. After just the four starts over hurdles, there’s the potential for That’ll Do Moss to do better still this season.
Mullins raider worth another chance back over fences
Emmet Mullins needs respecting with his runners in Britain, and in addition to Dream On Baby in the preceding contest, he has a leading contender in the handicap chase (15:05) with Chance Another One. Mullins has struck successfully at Kempton in the past, having won the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle in 2021 with Cape Gentleman.
Chance Another One is a new recruit to Mullins’ stable this season having shown little over hurdles previously but is much improved of late, returning from over a year off for an easy win in a handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe before a fine second off a 20 lb higher mark in a similar event at the Galway Festival, and then making a smooth start over fences back at Ballinrobe in a beginners chase.
Chance Another One went back over hurdles last time for a Pertemps Qualifier at Cheltenham and ran better than his mid-division finish would suggest after making a bad mistake three out. However, he’s a former winning pointer and boasts a positive profile for his new yard, remaining with plenty of potential switching back to the larger obstacles.
Pure Carbon’s chances flagged up
Pure Carbon didn’t progress in four starts over hurdles last term but he has taken very well to fences following a breathing operation over the summer and can continue his progress in the two-mile handicap chase at Ludlow (15:15).
He pulled a long way clear with winner Lightning Flash, following a sound round of jumping on his chasing debut, when returning in a handicap at Chepstow in October and while the winner disappointed next time, Pure Carbon went one better at Huntingdon when showing some improvement. Jumping and travelling well under a patient ride, Pure Carbon jumped on two out and then dug deep to fend off Homme d’Un Soir by a length and a quarter, the pair again finishing clear of the rest.
Pure Carbon earned the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag for that effort and heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings with the ‘p’ symbol indicating further improvement to come off a 6 lb higher mark. He also represents a stable in form, with Harry Derham having the ‘Hot Trainer’ flag after plenty of winners in recent weeks.
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