17:30 Kempton

Wednesday 4 January 2023

All16:5517:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:30

Unibet Horserace Betting Operator Of The Year Handicap (Div 2)

Off time: 17:30 | Winning time: 1m 44.49s

(10)

Brilliant Blue^v1²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: T P Queally| T: G & J Moore| OR: 62

28/1

Maiden who ran well below best on back of 5 months off/having been gelded when last of 12 in handicap (25/1) at this course (7f) 21 days ago. Needs to leave that in his wake to figure in first-time visor/down in class.

Form: 0/04700-

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

(9)

Split Elevens^b²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Darragh Keenan| T: J Butler| OR: 60| D

11/2

Unreliable type. Three wins from 12 runs last year. 13/2, creditable fourth of 11 in handicap at Lingfield (1m, AW) 21 days ago, making late headway. Not out of things in refitted blinkers.

Form: 410834-

(3)

Starry Eyes²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-8| J: Harry Burns⁽³⁾| T: B R Johnson| OR: 59| D

15/2

Eighteen runs since last win in 2021. Good second of 11 in handicap at Lingfield (1m, AW) 21 days ago, running on. Operating on a handy mark if she can build on that here.

Form: 769352-

(7)

Mabre²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Jordan Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: P D Evans| OR: 59| CD

7/2

C&D winner. Bit below form fourth of 11 in handicap (28/1) at Wolverhampton (8.6f) 25 days ago. Handicapper has relinquished his grip a little more but he does need to brush up his starting.

Form: 202954-

(1)

Ravenswing^h,t1²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Hollie Doyle| T: A Watson| OR: 59

16/1

Hooded for 1st time, tenth of 11 in handicap (22/1) at Wolverhampton (8.6f) 25 days ago. Tongue strap on for 1st time.

Form: 4/90000-

(11)

John The Baptist^b,h,t²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Tom Marquand| T: M Appleby| OR: 58

6/1

Landed a Curragh maiden (7f) on debut back in summer 2021. Essentially disappointed since but definite step back in right direction from much-reduced mark when fourth in 13-runner handicap (7f) 3 weeks ago, needing stiffer test. Worth a second look back at 1m.

Form: 066004-

(6)

Inclement Weather^t³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Rhys Clutterbuck| T: A M Hales| OR: 57| C

15/8

Course winner. Very good second of 13 in handicap at this C&D (15/2) 35 days ago, deserving of extra credit having steered a wide course. Remains one to be interested in from this sort of mark.

Form: 469432-

(2)

Lightning Attack⁶¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: William Cox| T: A G Newcombe| OR: 54| D

40/1

Sixteen runs since last win in 2020. 14/1, first run since leaving Ben Haslam when eighth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Exeter (16.7f, good to soft) 61 days ago. Significantly down in trip.

Form: 74284/2-

(5)

Headley George³⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Paddy Bradley⁽³⁾| T: S Dow| OR: 54

22/1

Winner at 10f on AW who finished runner-up on 3 of his last 4 starts last winter, latterly over this trip at Lingfield (1m) 12 months ago. Absent since but his consistency is an asset at this level.

Form: 50282/2-

(4)

Forbearing¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: L Morris| T: A W Carroll| OR: 51

25/1

17/2, last of 11 in handicap at Wolverhampton (7.2f) 14 days ago, poorly drawn but ultimately always behind. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 089050-

Non-Runners

(8)

Storm Asset¹³³

Weight: 9-4| Age: 4

T: A W Carroll J: L Morris

Forecasts

Inclement Weather (15/8), Mabre (7/2), Split Elevens (11/2), John The Baptist (6/1), Starry Eyes (15/2), Storm Asset (15/2), Ravenswing (16/1), Headley George (22/1), Forbearing (25/1), Brilliant Blue (28/1), Lightning Attack (40/1)

It could just be worth chancing JOHN THE BAPTIST who has tumbled down the weights and took a step back in the right direction when fourth over 7f here 3 weeks ago, with the return to 1m from his career-low mark looking in his favour. Inclement Weather and Starry Eyes are others to consider, along with Split Elevens.