Hi all,
My first selections for the service since Saturday. The most valuable race of the day is the Listed Wild Flower Stakes (7.30) at Kempton and there’s also a runner in a 6f handicap at Lingfield that’s caught my eye.
Kempton
7:30 – Unibet Wild Flower Stakes (Listed Race) – 1m 4f
It’s not often you get to see Breeders’ Cup Turf winner racing on Wednesday evening at Kempton. However, we do tonight as Rebel Romance is an odds-on favourite for the Kempton feature. A four-time winner on the all-weather, including here. The 5-year-old has struggled on three starts since winning at Keeneland in November 2022 but remains the one to beat if back to his best.
Base Note gained a fifth all-weather success when winning a Chelmsford handicap last month. He got the run of the race that day and will face pressure from Rebal Romance’s stablemate Goldspur who is having his first run since finishing a length 3rd of 6 to Westover in last year’s Classic Trial at Sandown. Not sure what’s kept the 4-year-old off the track for 600 days, but he remains with potential if retaining his old ability.
The biggest rival to the favourite could turn out to be all-weather debutant Salt Bay. The 3-year-old a useful juvenile has had a light 3-year-old campaign but posted a career best when 2 length 2nd of 7 to Not So Sleepy 81 days ago. If he takes to the new surface, I can see him running a big race.
Elegant Man is the most intriguing of the 8 runners. The 3-year-old impressed when winning a Dundalk maiden (1m 2 ½ f) on racecourse debut 47 days ago. He’s got a pedigree that shouts synthetic surface performer. This is a big step up in class but he’s open to plenty of improvement.
Salt Bay – 1pt win – 10/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes.
Lingfield
2:00 – Ancient Times is 1-3 on the all-weather and bounced back to form when a 2 ¾ length 4th of 7 at Wolverhampton (5f) 20 days ago. That was the 5-year-old’s first run for 92 days and should be sharper here. Shaped at Wolverhampton like he would be suited by a return to 6f. Polytrack debut and is on a losing run that goes back to June 2022 but the handicapper is giving him a chance.
Way To Dubai a three-time winner when trained in Germany at around a mile. No real show on first for Charlie Fellowes when 9th of 10 at Kempton but there was more to like about the 4-year-old’s 4 ¼ length 4th of 10 at Wolverhampton last month when dropped back to 7f. Interesting to see the colt has been dropped to 6f and I’m hoping that it will suit him. Provided a wide draw in stall 10 isn’t an inconvenience, he’s handicapped to go close.
Way To Dubai – 1pt win – 9/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes.
There won’t be any selections on Thursday but I will be back for the first day of Cheltenham’s December meeting which gets underway on Friday.
Cheers
John