Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on Saturday.
The Doyen Chief will appreciate sharper test
The Doyen Chief was only fifth in a three-and-a-quarter-mile handicap chase at Cheltenham last time, but he looked set to play a big part turning for home only for his stamina to give way. He, therefore, should appreciate dropping back in trip to three miles at Kempton (14:05), where the sharper, flatter track will also be in the favour of a horse who typically catches the eye with how strongly he travels.
The Doyen Chief got off the mark over fences over this course and distance last season and has Timeform's Horses For Courses Flag to highlight his effectiveness at the speed-favouring track. He backed up that victory at Warwick on his final start last season, winning with a bit more in hand than the margin of a neck would suggest, and also ran well when runner-up to Deep Cave in another three-mile handicap chase on his reappearance at Bangor in November.
Conditions were extremely testing at Bangor - Timeform called the going heavy - and that emphasis on stamina played to the strengths of Deep Cave who stayed on to win by two and a quarter lengths. But The Doyen Chief was 15 lengths clear of the third and produced his best effort yet on Timeform's ratings, while the form was given a boost when Deep Cave went on to win a valuable handicap chase at Ascot.
The Doyen Chief has had excuses on both starts since Bangor as he effectively took no part in the Coral Gold Cup - pulled up shortly after veering right and losing all chance following the standing start - and then had his stamina stretched at Cheltenham. But he looks to have been found an ideal test back in trip at Kempton.
Drop in trip should suit speedy Accrual
Accrual is an enthusiastic sort who tends to pull hard, but he has responded well to more positive tactics being adopted of late and can put his speed to good use in the five-furlong handicap at Lingfield (15:00).
Accrual made all over six furlongs at Wolverhampton last month and found only one too strong when employing similar tactics back over the same course and distance eight days later.
He was soon back to winning ways in a six-furlong handicap at this venue on Wednesday, however, and produced a career-best effort to score by a length and three-quarters. Timeform's reporter noted that 'he looked like winning by something like double the final margin' until he was closed down inside the final half-furlong when he had the race in the bag.
The speed Accrual has been showing since allowed to stride on suggests he should be suited by the return to five furlongs at Lingfield, and he could dominate this small field and prove difficult to peg back.
Alpine Sierra can capitalise on a career-low mark
Alpine Sierra endured a blank year in 2025 so wasn't one who contributed to trainer Jim Goldie's first century of a winners in a calendar year. However, his long losing run, which comprises 14 starts and stretches back to December 2024, has resulted in some respite from the handicapper and he competes in the extended mile-and-a-quarter handicap at Newcastle (15:10) from 9 lb below his last winning mark.
Alpine Sierra is also 3 lb lower than when last seen finishing a respectable fifth in a better handicap at the same course 12 days ago. He drops in grade back into class 6 company here and is off a career-low mark, while stepping back up in trip to a mile and a quarter (from a mile) won't be an issue as his last victory came over this course and distance.
Even on the pick of last year's efforts he looks on a handy mark and comes out 2 lb clear on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings, while he'd look potentially very well treated if able to recapture some of the form he showed a couple of seasons ago.
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