KEMPTON PARK RACING 2020 MEETING #13 TUESDAY 18th AUGUST

Welcome to Kempton Park racecourse here for another evening meeting as we return to regular action on the all weather flat track under the lights but behind closed doors for the time being. 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 month since out last meeting here, where sadly we dropped a couple more points but as we are now in August and after meeting #12 we find ourselves in a loss for the year to a figure of -18.765 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, but with two winners last time we now have stats of 14/19 (73.68%) after the latest meeting.

We cover another rare Tuesday evening in this interrupted period which will be meeting #13 for the 2020 midweek season here. Tonight we shall be expecting a nine race card where five of these are handicaps now including a 2yo Nursery event. The action will still commence at 16:25 with a seven furlong 2yo novice stakes and we should end the card around about 20:30 with our final handicap contest over just under a mile and half.

Here's a link to this Tuesday'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 Tuesday is for a lot of cloudy weather and it's going to be showery too with the temperature to reach around 22C by the time the meeting gets underway.

Here are our handicap selections for tonight;
17:00  Unibet Thanks The Frontline Workers Fillies' Handicap
7f  [Class 4  14 runners]
Our opening handicap of the evening is for the fillies and a decent field is assembled with some of top stables and owners too, MARIA ROSA for John Gosden and Godolphin wouldn't have to be too smart to take this after three runs on the all weather tracks, while Richard Hannon sends TOP CLASS ANGEL [7th 9/1] a daughter of Dark Angel and gets weight from the field. While DECLARING LOVE [6th 5/2] is another Godolphin inmate (C Appleby) and had three outings at Newmarket so has to encounter the all weather surface for the first time.

17:30  Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Nursery (2yo)
6f  [Class 4  4 runners]
A disappointing small field of only four for this 2yo nursery event, all four look fairly equal though with the 3lb that Cieren Fallon can still claim makes FAST START [3rd 9/2] (S bin Suroor) the one for me, considered worthy of a Royal Ascot start this is much more easier and taken along with MONZA CITY [4th 9/2] against the two colts tonight.

18:00  Unibet Casino Deposit 10 Get 40 Bonus Handicap
6f  [Class 4  12 runners]
Better field where IT'S A GIVEN [5th 4/1] (R Charlton) a winner here and at Newmarket can take another handicap from only his fourth career start did not appear to find the softened ground at Windsor and this surface should suit. Main opposition appears to be Richard Hannon's INTREPID ITALIAN [Non Runner], twice a winner at Lingfield and was a recent runner up at Chepstow  and IRISH ACCLAIM [8th 16/1] who won here when last seen beating some well bred types having made all the running, if allowed a soft lead again could be hard to catch.

19:00  Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Handicap
1m  [Class 4  14 runners]
It's the 3yo turn now, headed by the Golden Horn filly RIDESON [5th 11/2] who ended her run of seconds with a victory at Chepstow and with her riders 5lb claim could be hard to keep out of the frame again. Sir Michael Stoute sends OSLO [4th 7/2] here and has found handicapping difficult this season but not that far away last time and this looks little easier. While we will stick with those two against the field might also look at BUSINESS [Non Runner] for an each way selection, owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred Racing who have been making news lately.

20:30  Unibet Handicap
1m 3f 219y  [Class 5  13 runners]
Our finale over just under mile and half looks wide open with the field of thirteen where the recent winners do appeal and MACHIOS [10th 2/1] (A Balding) was a good winner over this trip at Lingfield and David Probert rides well here, support for SEPTEMBER POWER [8th 10/3] (S De Sousa) would not surprise another who won last time over this trip and top jockey booked to double up again. FORESEE looks an each way selection for Hollie Doyle and will try and get on in the place market there.

Staked -- 10 points.       Returns -- 2 points.
Results will appear here later during Tuesday 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 #12 to the tune of -18.765 overall and we need some more winners to get back into profit. Two non runners and nothing else at all was a bad day, losing another eight points, now we are going the wrong way on -26.765.   

Lays -- 14/19. 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. First odds on favourite beaten tonight, sadly the other one was victorious so now 15/21. 

Tonight's Lays;
16:25 - GURU [7f Novice stakes]  LOST 5th @4/9F.
20:00 - BULLFINCH [1m Novice stakes]  Won ;(.

Our next evening meeting here is not until Tuesday 15th September hope you can join us again soon but most importantly remain safe and well.