KEMPTON PARK RACING 2020 MEETING #12 WEDNESDAY 15th JULY

Welcome to Kempton Park racecourse here for another Wednesday night meeting as we return to regular action on the all weather flat track under the lights but behind closed doors for the time being. This will be our fourth race meeting here since March but we will keep blogging throughout 2020 till the end of the year. British horse racing has safely returned behind closed doors as part of a phased return for the sport. In doing so we will be introducing strict protocols designed to safeguard everyone's health and well being and to ensure that racing can take place safely behind closed doors. These measures have been developed in consultation with government and public health officials to help keep those attending safe and include:

• A three stage health check that all attendees on courses will have to pass;
• Strict social distancing measures on course
• Detailed new guidance for all participants on how they will have to do things differently on course in order that we can race safely and mitigate any risks.

In addition the courses are reducing the use of any medical or NHS services to a minimum, acting responsibly by using private ambulances, hospitals and medics – to protect the NHS. For those working at an event, including officials, racecourse staff and participants, the implementation of these guidelines ensures that racing will take place in a more controlled environment than most day-to-day activities.

Back to the horse racing all results here are reported to 1pt at Starting Prices (SP) was a better meeting last time out and as such after meeting #11 we picked up a few points profit that has reduced out losses for this season down to a figure of -15.265 points, results are always recorded to SP we will aim to get us back into the black again soon and see further improvement in the results.

Throughout the 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 had been fairly successful with our selections throughout last year managed to get plenty of favourites beat so we finished on 40/54 (74%). We reset the counters for 2020 and will be continuing this throughout the year again. Currently a decent start with plenty of short priced favourites getting beat, and we are 14/17 (82.35%) after the opening few meetings of this stop start season.

This Wednesday will be our meeting #12 for the 2020 midweek season here. Tonight we shall be expecting a nine race card where six of these are handicaps now following the division of the final handicap. The action will still commence at 16:40 with a six furlong novice event for fillies and we should end the card around about 20:45 with our final handicap contest over a mile trip while the feature race tonight appears to be the 18:45 Class 3 handicap over just under a mile and half.

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

Going and Weather -- The going on the polytrack surface is described as 'standard to slow' and the current weather forecast for this Wednesday is for a lot of cloudy weather and it's going to be warm and humid too with a high temperature to reach around 20C by the time the meeting gets underway.

Here are our handicap selections for tonight;
17:10  Unibet Thanks The Frontline Workers Handicap
6f  [Class 5  10 runners]
Our first handicap of the evening and still giving SEPAHI [Won 15/2] another go around here, last two efforts here resulted in a victory and a second off this mark. Last effort was over 7f and clearly doesn't want that far yet, so 6f more to her liking. While LORDSRIDGE BOY [3rd 3/1] comes into this at the foot of the handicap and did win here off 2lb lower, could still have another effort in him.   [Good start to the evening].

18:10  Unibet Extra Place Offers Every Day Handicap
7f  [Class 4  12 runners]
A maiden winner here MAY SONIC [5th 18/1] was runner up off this mark here last time and given a second chance to shine while CRYSTAL CASQUE [4th 14/1] won again here last time over a mile, but has been equally effective over this trip too and tis five year old mare has a chance even off 5lb higher with the exceptional Tom Marquand in the saddle.

18:45  Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Handicap
1m 3f 219yds  [Class 3  14 runners]
The best looking race on this evening's card where EMIRATES KNIGHT [4th 3/1] can go well despite top weight having got close to the winner here last time out. while there could also be support for maiden winner QUICKTHORN [3rd 7/2] who might make light of this handicap mark first time around.

19:45  Unibet Casino Deposit 10 Get 40 Bonus Handicap
1m  [3yo's  Class 5  14 runners]
Jamie Osborne can ready a handicap surprise and first time handicapper MR BEAU BLUE [7th 33/1] will improve from his two Lingfield runs, expecting 33/1+ while BYTHEBAY [9th 25/1] is another who has just had the two runs to date (runner up at Lingfield on both tries) and though might not be the price of the other selection this looks a fairly open affair.

20:15  Unibet Handicap (Div One)
1m  [Class 6  14 runners]
Our final handicap contest tonight has been split into two divisions both with a max field of fourteen, our first part sees the 4yo filly KIRALEAH [8th 18/1] tries an all weather handicap for the first time, has only had four races in her career and must have shown something to the trainer and owners to remain in training this year. STAR OF ST LOUIS [7th 28/1] has had more races and is tried over a mile now, gets in with a light weight and has David Probert to steer, but beginning to be a bit frustrating and this is his best opportunity this year though not had much help from the official handicapper seems to have been stuck on this mark for a while.

20:45  Unibet Handicap (Div Two)
1m  [Class 6  14 runners]
The 8yo son of Cape Cross PIKE CORNER CROSS [5th 14/1] has dropped to a lowly level but does pop up at decent prices from time to time and this might be one of his going days. Risky but a big price while the drop in class and trip back to a mile could bring about something of a revival. The 3yo filly LIGHTNING BLUE [8th 16/1] looks a similar price and hasn't had a lot of racing, her last effort finishing midfield at a big price under a 7lb claimer at Leicester wasn't too bad and if some improvement for Mick Channon she might surprise.

Staked -- 12 points.      Returns -- 8.5 points.

Results will appear here later during Wednesday evening. This season we started afresh and will try hard to stop going well behind but all results are accurate and recorded to SP returns to a 1pt win stake only and updated each meeting. A disappointing start to 2020 now sees us behind after meeting #11 to the tune of -15.265 overall and although the lays are successful we need some more winners to get back into profit. Updates - despite a good start and nice winner in the first of our handicaps we couldn't follow it up with anything and sadly lose another -3.5 points tonight, overall loss is now at -18.765 after meeting #12.  

Lays -- 14/17. We had a good season last year with the lays, aiming at favourites and not afraid to take on short odds on shots too. The plan will be for at least one or two each meeting and we will keep those results separate from the handicaps. Two winners tonight, one very short, but that's the risk you take. Stats now at 14/19. 
Tonight's Lays;

16:40 - Thank You Next  [6f Fillies Stakes].  Won 7/2  :(
19:15 - Almighwar  [1m 4f Novice Stakes].  Won 4/9F 

Our next evening meeting here is not until Tuesday 18th August hope you can join us again soon but most importantly remain safe and well.