15:40 Kempton

Thursday 26 December 2019

All12:5013:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Ladbrokes Football 'Acca-Boosty' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 5m 21.15s

Canyon City⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-4| J: Alexander Fielding⁽¹⁰⁾| T: N B King| OR: 141

25/1

10lb higher than when finishing a close third over C&D (good) in February, owing to subsequent successes at Fakenham and Haydock (2m7+); the 10lb claim of Alexander Fielding is much needed; soft ground?

Form: 316-146

Eragon De Chanay^v²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: N F Houlihan⁽⁷⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 135| D

33/1

Pulled up (in cheekpieces) over fences at Sandown (2m4f, good to soft) earlier this month; reverts to hurdles wearing a visor a mere 2lb above his last winning mark (Wincanton 2m5½f, good); stablemate of Dell Oro.

Form: 31P0-3P

Laskadine³¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Geraghty| T: N J Henderson| OR: 135

15/2

Former French racer (Guy Cherel); made a winning debut in the McManus silks at Warwick (2m, juvenile) before flopping in a mares' Listed contest at Haydock (2m3f); isn't the easiest to evaluate (soft ground fine); merits respect.

Form: 115-

Jenkins^b,t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 134| C

40/1

Won four times for Nicky Henderson, including a Grade 3 Ascot handicap (2m3½f, soft); easing in the weights but is yet to fire for Charlie Longsdon (bought for £58,000); second start back from wind surgery.

Form: 4327-P0

Elysees¹⁹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-11| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 134

14/1

Lightly raced hurdler (2-5); kept on from mid-division to finish just over 4L fourth to The Knot Is Tied on handicap debut at Newbury (2m3f) in March; has been campaigned on the Flat since; a stablemate of Mr Pumblechook.

Form: 31124-

Colonel Custard³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Matt Griffiths| T: Nicky Martin| OR: 134| BF

6/1

Capable on a variety of racing surfaces, although we're yet to see definitively whether or not he'll stay 2m5f (has stamina in his pedigree); same mark as when a 12L runner-up to Song For Someone at Fontwell (2m1½f, soft).

Form: 5219-32

Star Of Lanka^p1²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: P J Brennan| T: W Greatrex| OR: 132

7/1

Undergone wind surgery during the summer, and has returned to action in reasonable shape with placed efforts at Sandown (2m4f, heavy) and Newbury (2m4½f, gd/sft) - has related form with Mr Pumblechook; sports newly applied cheekpieces.

Form: 1449-23

Honest Vic^v³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: T Scudamore| T: H D Daly| OR: 132| D

10/1

Temperamental; almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when clinging on by a short-head at Market Rasen (2m4½f) in October; beaten off this revised mark (6lb higher) in a Cl 2 handicap at Haydock.

Form: 52U5-14

Captain Tommy^b1²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: G Sheehan| T: H Whittington| OR: 131| D

20/1

2-5 over hurdles, and ran reasonably well when fourth to Tobefair (beaten 11½L) on handicap debut at Cheltenham (3m, heavy) in late October; disappointing at Newbury since and is eased 3lb in the weights accordingly; blinkers added.

Form: 5112-40

Our Power⁷⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 130

9/1

Beat the Nicky Henderson-trained Style De Vole by 6L in a 2m juvenile at Newbury (soft) last December; set stiff tasks thereafter - ninth of 21 in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham; has left the care of Alan King since seasonal reappearance.

Form: 21494-6

Theo's Charm^p¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Adam Wedge| T: N J Gifford| OR: 130

12/1

Fairly reliable in recent months without managing to add to his three career wins (from 28 starts); same mark as when beaten 2½L by Barntown at Lingfield (2m3½f, heavy) on his penultimate start.

Form: 533-327

Dell Oro³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 130

25/1

Won a six-runner novice handicap chase at Huntingdon (2m4f, good) in January, but frankly dismal in five subsequent starts; reverts to hurdles for the first time since finishing an unfortunate ½L second over C&D (good) in April 2018 - 3lb higher.

Form: 1P3P3-P

Rhythm Is A Dancer^p1,t⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 129| D

20/1

Has shown his best form on a sound surface with three wins (Wincanton x2 & Ludlow) at 2m5½f; soundly beaten by Redzor on chasing debut at Fakenham (3m, good) in October; wears cheekpieces for the return to hurdles.

Form: 15P14-3

Mr Pumblechook²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Alexander Thorne⁽⁷⁾| T: A King| OR: 128| D

3/1

Sole win came at short odds (1-6f) in a 2m4½f Plumpton maiden (soft); 3lb higher than when beaten 10L by The Cashel Man (Star Of Lanka third) at Newbury (2m4½f. good to soft) four weeks ago; a stablemate of Elysees.

Form: 1646-42

Gortroe Joe³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 123| D

40/1

Won twice over fences (Ludlow and Market Rasen) earlier in the year; inconsistent over hurdles since September, although his Wetherby third (2m3½f, soft) to Mr Scrumpy would certainly give him an each-way squeak.

Form: 1-P3930

Oscarsman²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: N de Boinville| T: Miss S Smith| OR: 117| D

14/1

Former pointer; took a step forward on his third start over hurdles when making all and keeping on strongly to beat Bean In Trouble by ½L in a Plumpton maiden (2m4½f, soft) 24 days ago; of interest on handicap debut with Nico de Boinville booked.

Form: 42-7461

Non-Runners

Neverbeen To Paris³⁵

Weight: 11-3| Age: 4

T: H Whittington J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Mr Pumblechook (3/1), Colonel Custard (6/1), Star Of Lanka (7/1), Laskadine (15/2), Our Power (9/1), Honest Vic (10/1), Theo's Charm (12/1), Oscarsman (14/1), Elysees (14/1), Rhythm Is A Dancer (20/1), Neverbeen To Paris (20/1), Captain Tommy (20/1), Canyon City (25/1), Dell Oro (25/1), Eragon De Chanay (33/1), Gortroe Joe (40/1), Jenkins (40/1)

A sizeable field and a very difficult finale to a stellar Kempton Park card. Laskadine isn't the easiest of horses to assess on the basis of what she's achieved, although you'd be foolish to ignore any strong market move for a lightly raced McManus/Henderson runner. Elysees and Mr Pumblechook offer Alan King a competitive hand, while the now cheekpieced Star Of Lanka (has related form with Mr Pumblechook) has performed consistently since undergoing wind surgery. However, at the very foot of the weights the booking of Nico de Boinville aboard the Plumpton scorer OSCARSMAN catches the eye, and this handicap debutant is worth chancing at the projected odds.