KEMPTON PARK RACES 2018 -- WEDNESDAY NIGHTS #22 14th NOVEMBER

The evenings continue to draw in and get darker early, but the lights are on here always at Kempton on Wednesday.

Bonfire weekend might have come and gone yet the fireworks still going off all night long ... The national hunt season in action now too away from the all weather tracks and trips to Ascot and Cheltenham will be on the cards between now and the new year. The football is best forgotten about for the time being as Wimbledon keep losing (seven without a win now in the league) yet the manager is still in situ, although we did win 1-0 against a lowly non league side on TV to get into the second round of the FA Cup. Fed up watch a lack of passion so glad I can come back to this blog as we continue to follow the progress of handicap races on the Wednesday night races here at Kempton Park racecourse in Surrey. We've not had the greatest year to date sadly and are falling behind now although it's a bit up and down this is now into the last few months as we reach meeting number twenty two. There are usually 4-5 handicap races covered and some Lay bets too with separate totals recorded to SP throughout the year. 

We are ready for week number twenty two, and as we push on into the latter part of the year we need to find that winning habit again as we need to recover and take a dent out of the losses to date since we find ourselves down -56.72 points to SP, would be nice to continue turning this around and there is still a fair way to go we need some more winners soon and alas we record to starting prices.

As we continue to focus on the handicap contests for each Wednesday evening meeting we will also occasionally include a feature listed or conditions event too if one is available. Keeping records of our endeavours to a 1 point level stake at SP, naturally we will personally be looking to get better odds than this but for the purpose of these results here we simply record SP returns only.

We will keep up with our occasional lay opportunities of short priced favourites too. Naturally we will keep these results separately from the handicap figures, having a disappointing time with these of late keep on finding winners, this season though means we are currently 17/28 going forwards with these for 2018 and we at least keep accurate figures win or lose. 

This Wednesday is meeting number twenty two for the 2018 season and we are expecting an eight race card tonight with four handicaps and a 2yo Nursery (if I have time) for us to look through and enjoy the action which will commence at 16:30 with the first handicap over a mile. 

Here's a link to this Wednesday's race card; RACECARD

The going on the polytrack surface is described as 'standard to slow' and the current weather forecast for this Wednesday is for a dark and cloudy day we a decent chance of rain so might be best to stay in the bars between races (just a suggestion) but we can still have a good night even with the threat of rain a top temperature will be about 14C by the time the meeting gets underway.

Here are our handicap selections for tonight;

16:30 -- 1m Handicap.
We open with a low grade handicap and fourteen declared for it, FREDDY WITH A Y has a win around here but going with two who are both Course and Distance winners who should still have enough in this level, they are COOKIE RING [8th 40/1] a seven year old who was winning here last year in similar sort of event and he's selected along with ERTIDAAD [6th 13/2] who has seen his rating fall from 72 to 47 and won off this so they appear to be in with a chance in a poor race such as this.

18:30 -- 7f Nursery Handicap (2yo).
Including the nursery contest too, a cosy field of eight for what is a reasonable event of it's type here, John Gosden sends INTRICATE [7th 12/1] a filly bought for 240k and with the yard in great form this year should be taken note of in the betting. 

Having been campaigned at Ascot and York the Richard Hannon trained SPELL [Pulled Up] might appreciate this easier company and the yard do well with their juvenile fillies.

19:00 -- 6f Handicap.
Better handicap here (class 3) and nine in the line up where MERLIN [6th 3/1] and BUSBY [3rd 10/1] will be selected against the field. The latter might only be a 3yo but has won here and at Chelmsford on the all weather and while in good heart expected to make a strong bid for the hat trick.

19:30 -- 1m 3f 219yds Handicap.

A seven runner affair next with a reasonable grade for the evening, headed by Great Hall who is dropping down the weights and now 9lb lower than his win in April, best watched for now. CASPER THE CUB [WON Evens] won again last time here and could have the 5lb in hand easily so will certainly look to get on board again. GRAND INQUISITOR [2nd 8/1] is our other candidate in a rather open contest.

20:00 -- 1m 3f 219yds Handicap.

Our finale tonight has a field of 14 and will not be easy to find the winner here, top weight PERFECT MYTH has had a few runs including some NH Flat races too but doesn't look the type to go in over this trip first time in a handicap, maybe of interested when stepped up in trip later. 

LIFE KNOWLEDGE [8th 14/1] was successfully at Newcastle last time out for this same rider and should be followed to go in again tonight. Rocksette looks more at home down at Brighton and is opposed so we instead pick KARAM ALBAARI [9th 20/1] despite his preference for Lingfield has at least been around here before.

Staked -- 10 points.
Returns -- 2 points.

Results will appear here later on Wednesday night. We had a few near misses recently but overall the losses are sadly increased to the current level of -56.72 points. Couple of months of the year left to make a dent into that hopefully. 

LAYS -- 17/28 so far, beginning to get them beat now, and if we have one or two Lays tonight they will be updated here also. Got them both beaten tonight, we move onto 19/30

Tonight's Lays;

17:30 -- ARCTIC OCEAN [1m Novice Stakes] LOST 10th.
18:30 -- GLORIOUS CHARMER [7f Nursery] LOST 4th.

Our next meeting here at Kempton Park will be next week on WEDNESDAY 21st NOVEMBER so hope to see you then.