KEMPTON PARK RACES 2019 -- WEDNESDAY NIGHTS #5 27th FEBRUARY

Back again for the next instalment of what I hope will prove to be a productive year in 2019.

We've reached the end of February already and just a few weeks away to the Cheltenham Festival. In the meantime the Six Nations rugby keeps us going and England going well with wins against the Irish and French so far and Wales to come (shame about that result) but swing low sweet chariot!! Sadly AFC Wimbledon lost in the FA Cup against Millwall but have started to win again in the league until losing in the last minute 1-2 against Charlton. So we are back to focus on the horse racing now while the lights still shine brightly here at Kempton Park throughout this year. We are hopeful of better season than we experienced last year but it's just some fun and excitement to mix up the week we have started the first quarter well though so it's positive thus far. 

Lets continue with our fifth Wednesday night of 2019, and will continue to focus on the handicap contests for each Wednesday evening meeting though we will also occasionally include a feature listed or conditions event too if there is one 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. 

Following last week's excellent set of results we have turned around our fortunes clearing our early losses and are now ahead +1 point to SP. [Every little helps]

Once more this year we will keep up with our occasional lay opportunities of anticipated short priced favourites too. Naturally we will keep these results separately from the handicap figures we have been fairly successful with our selections so far and are 4/5 alas the 100% record went with an odds on favourite winning last time but it's still a good strike rate and we will continue into 2019. 

This Wednesday is meeting number five for the 2019 AW season and we are expecting a bumper eight race card tonight with the division of two handicap contests tonight it means we have no less than seven handicaps this week for us to look through and enjoy. The action tonight will commence at 16:55 with a six furlong apprentice handicap contest for three year olds only and the card ends around about 20:30 with the second division of the seven furlong handicap.

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 cold day with some cloud cover and a top temperature will only be about 16C by the time the meeting gets underway so a nice enjoyable night under the lights.

Here are our handicap selections for tonight;

16:55 -- 6f Apprentice Handicap (3yo).
We open tonight with an apprentice handicap event for 3yo only, a field of 12 declared with the only course and distance winner in the field GRANDEE DAISY [2nd 6/1] a selection for us along with NGUNI [Non Runner] representing Paul Cole in a race that doesn't really take much deliberation.

17:30 -- 6f Handicap (Div 1).
Our next handicap event is a 6f sprint, with 22 runners declared this race has been splint into two divisions and the races time also altered. First division has 11 runners and top weight OUR MAN IN HAVANA [Non Runner] has the benefit of Cieren Fallon (Kieren's son) taking off a valuable 7lb and he's probably a claimer to keep on-side this season. 

Our other selection doesn't have the greatest draw but plenty of experience with Franny Norton on board DIVINE CALL [5th 66/1] and this 12yo can still put a shift in - wasn't far off a big place.

18:00 -- 6f Handicap (Div 2).
The 2nd division of the 6f sprint handicap also has a field of 11 headed by KNOCKOUT BLOW [6th 11/2] who along with DARING GUEST [8th 9/2] represent our interests here.

19:00 -- 1m Handicap.
A field of 13 for the mile handicap on the card, where top weight INTREPIDLY [9th 11/4] is of interest having finished runner up here earlier in the month, along with RAMPANT LION [WON 11/2] a course and distance winner in November has shown signs of staying bit more with runs either side of that but should go well again for David Probert.

19:30 -- 1m 2f 219y Handicap.
In a handicap where only 6lb separates the entire field have looked with interest at the bottom pair tonight. MONSIEUR FOX [8th 20/1] and COLD HARBOUR [6th 8/1] the former is lightly raced and was placed here in January at decent price so worth a crack over the longer trip with time on their side, while Cold Harbour was a winner at Lingfield last time out in only his fifth race and might be able to see off the 3lb rise here tonight.

20:00 -- 7f Handicap (Div 1).
The final race has also been divided into two and in the opening division we focus on two last time out winners HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY [10th 7/2] and COLLATE [4th 11/2] the former had been off the track for a while before winning at Wolves so the bounce factor might play, however Jamie Osborne can work wonders with some of these so called "cast offs". 

20:30 -- 7f Handicap (Div 2).
Our final event tonight and we chance the pair RIVAS ROB ROY [3rd 7/2] with our old friend VIOLA PARK [WON 11/4] the latter is particularly effective at the trip and this sort of mark so expecting to go close. 

Staked -- 14 points.

Returns -- 12.25 points.

Results will appear here later on during Wednesday night. A successful meeting last time means we wiped out the losses and are now ahead by +1 point. A mixed night, couple of winners, couple of non runners but a loss of -1.75 points to SP and that turns our 1 point profit into a -0.75 point loss going forwards.

LAYS -- 4/5.  Nice start to the year with successful lays in the opening few meetings, just one odds on shot spoiling the perfect record last time, but will see if we can get a couple more beat tonight and improve the record.

Tonight's Lays;
May appear here later. None selected tonight.

Our next meeting for this year will be held on Wednesday 6th March so hope to see you then and throughout 2019 too.