17:25 Kempton

Saturday 15 April 2017

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:1516:5017:25

Flat Is Back On RacingUK Queen's Prize Handicap

Off time: 17:26 | Winning time: 3m 34.64s

(5)

Higher Power¹⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: T P Queally| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 100

15/8

Improved last season with the step up to staying distances, including when beating the useful Steve Rogers by 2L when last seen over C&D in November. Goes up 7lb for that but he has shown his talent over these trips and he shouldn't be discounted.

Form: 31221-2

(7)

Magic Circle¹⁶⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Fran Berry| T: R M Beckett| OR: 99

15/2

Ran some impressive races last season, including when finishing third in the Irish November Handicap at Leopardstown. Up 2lb for that and tends to look better over further, so he's entitled to go well here.

Form: 20143-5

(6)

Barye²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: R L Moore| T: R Hughes| OR: 98

20/1

Has shown only modest form recently, and there has to be the suspicion that the handicapper has caught up with him, but perhaps the return to staying trips over intermediate distances can help. He also partners today's top jockey for the first time.

Form: 668475

(9)

Blakeney Point^p¹⁹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: K Shoemark⁽³⁾| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 89

12/1

C&D winner who finished a fair sixth last time out over a trip which was probably short of his optimum (1m6f). There should be more to come returned to 2m, but he remains on a career high mark.

Form: 32116-1

(2)

Endless Acres^v¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: S Donohoe| T: C Fellowes| OR: 89

3/1

Goes up 8lb for an easy victory over C&D last time out, but this is a much more competitive race. He remains unexposed though, especially over these sorts of distances, and he would be far from a surprise winner.

Form: 2423-13

(10)

Entihaa¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 8-8| J: R Ffrench| T: D Burchell| OR: 82

66/1

Showed little for just about all of last season, giving the impression that the handicapper has firmly caught up with him. He's also arguably better on Tapeta or turf that on Polytrack.

Form: 466039

(4)

Beltor²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 8-7| J: Liam Keniry| T: R Stephens| OR: 81

6/1

Returns to the Flat after a spell over hurdles, during which he's run some fair races, including when finishing seventh in the Betfair Hurdle. This is a different kind of test, however, and he may not be able to transfer his decent form over obstacles to staying races on the all-weather.

Form: 333613/-

(8)

Velvet Revolution¹⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Josephine Gordon| T: M Botti| OR: 85

10/1

Goes up 8lb for an easy victory at Chelmsford last time out, but he looks to be going the right way and could improve further here. He races over this trip for only the second time today.

Form: 88141-4

(1)

Against The Odds¹⁹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-5| J: L Morris| T: P & O Cole| OR: 83

12/1

Handled 2m well enough when finishing second on his only start over this trip at Wolverhampton in September, but this is a much harder race than that, and he should find it much more challenging. The rest of his recent form is largely unexciting.

Form: 24320-8

Non-Runners

(3)

Jacob Cats¹⁰

Weight: 9-5| Age: 8

T: W J Knight J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Higher Power (15/8), Endless Acres (3/1), Beltor (6/1), Jacob Cats (7/1), Magic Circle (15/2), Velvet Revolution (10/1), Blakeney Point (12/1), Against The Odds (12/1), Barye (20/1), Entihaa (66/1)

Few of these can be totally discounted, but the one who appeals most is HIGHER POWER. He showed plenty of improvement when stepped up to these sorts of trips last season and impressed when winning well over C&D in November. He is taken to overcome a rise in the weights and get the better of Endless Acres, who is certainly one of the less exposed types in the field, as well as Magic Circle who ran well at Leopardstown last time out and should go close if replicating that performance.