KEMPTON PARK HORSE RACING 2021 - MEETING #10 WEDNESDAY 31st MARCH

Welcome to Kempton Park racecourse a season of evening meetings following the events on a Wednesday night on the all weather flat track under the lights. We will be blogging throughout 2021 till the end of the year. Started well this season and still ahead as March comes to a close. Looking ahead we can see the Aintree festival on the horizon and the official start of the flat turf season has begun with last weekend's Lincoln meeting at Doncaster, the feature race won by Haqeeqy trained by John Gosden and ridden by an exciting apprentice jockey Benoit D L Sayette. this year. Away from horse racing we have important games for AFC Wimbledon (won 1-0 vs Northampton Town) in our fight to survive in league one and loads of Easter Eggs to scoff next weekend. 

Returning to the horse racing all results here are reported to 1pt at Starting Prices (SP) we will be keeping a rolling record of profit/loss all the way through from January till the Boxing Day King George fixture in December. A successful opening first quarter in 2021 means we arrive here with a +33.43 profit and will continue to keep a record to SP throughout the season.

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 33/49 (67.34%). We reset the counters for 2021 and will be continuing this throughout the year again. Currently standing at 11/14 (78.6%) after the latest meeting and we shall see how things progress during the year ahead. 

This week will be our tenth Wednesday evening meeting of the year although sadly it's still being held behind closed doors as we remain locked down as a nation, schools went back and about to have Easter holidays, a roadmap to a more normal life is in progress though. Tonight's meeting we shall now be expecting a nine race card with six handicaps for us to review following the division of two of the original handicaps at the final declaration stage. Our action will now commence at 16:05 with a novice contest for 2yo fillies over five furlongs, then we should end the card around about 20:15 with our final handicap event just under one mile three furlongs. 

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 that it's getting warmer as Easter approaches some showers in the forecast but a higher temperature of around 20C tonight.

Here are our handicap selections for tonight;

17:10  Unibet Casino Deposit 10 Get 40 Bonus Handicap (3yo) Div One
7f  [Class 6  12 runners]

Details and selections will begin to appear here from Monday afternoon. Our opening handicap for three year olds, had 30 runners at the five day declaration stage and is more likely to be divided into two divisions (which it indeed has).

PINBALL WIZARD [5th 7/2] having had three runs on the all weather in novice events gets in with a relatively lowly handicap mark to begin with, should go well over the seven furlong trip and a reasonable price expected. LHEBAYEB [3rd 80/1] is a filly with a similar profile to our other selection, 5th here on only 3rd start as a 2yo and could have something to offer with bit more experience now. Big price place !!

17:45  Unibet Casino Deposit 10 Get 40 Bonus Handicap (3yo) Div Two
7f  [Class 6  11 runners]

The second division of our opening handicap for three year olds. SAY IT AS IT IS [8th 9/1] trained by PD Evans and ridden by Charles Bishop was sent off favourite last outing at Lingfield and while disappointed there this looks easier. BATINDI [7th 9/1] is running in her first handicap with Hollie Doyle booked to ride and was placed on her final run at Chepstow and is stepping up in trip but down in grade.

18:15  Join Racing TV Now Handicap (3yo) Div One

1m  [Class 6  10 runners]

Although yet to get her head in front a chance is being taken on WISPER [4th 5/1] over this trip, needs to be settled better earlier in her races, tends to be thereabouts but the final furlong needs to find a bit more drops from 67 to 55 now might bring about an improvement sooner or later. HESTERCOMBE [9th 33/1] might have been last at huge odds towards the end of her 2yo campaign, but moving up to 3yo handicapping for the first time at this low level I wouldn't be surprised if we see a different outcome this season. Nope. 

18:45  Join Racing TV Now Handicap (3yo) Div Two

1m  [Class 6  10 runners]

3yo filly AMAL [5th 18/1] might not have shown a huge amount in nurseries and only four runs as a 2yo wouldn't need to have improved much as a 3yo to start showing better form in handicaps, this is almost as low as you can go so an outside chance at a decent price for us. FINAL FANTASY [WON 5/2f] was only a head away at the end of her first attempt in a handicap and showed that she's got races in here, Rossa Ryan takes over in the saddle tonight.

19:45  Try Our New Super Boosts At Unibet (London Mile Series Qual) Handicap
1m  [Class 4  11 runners]

This race looks is likely to be the most competitive amongst our handicap races tonight and is a qualifier for the London Mile series. AHDAB [5th 4/1] stepped up and ran well last time out to suggest he's up to this, previously a winner at Lingfield before that run and James Doyle takes over in the saddle. While KONDRATIEV WAVE [7th 13/2] has begun to have his sights (also handicap mark) lowered a little now, 5lb lower than winning mark in conditions event last year, should be a good price with Hollie Doyle booked and an each way play.

20:15  Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Fillies' Handicap

1m 2f 219y  [Class 4  8 runners]

Our finale only has eight declared, AU CLAIR DE LUNE [WON 7/4f] heads them and has the talented apprentice Benoit De La Sayette taking off 7lb he's proved his worth winning last weekend's Lincoln! A light 3yo campaign weakening in the final furlong at Goodwood and this trip/going should be more suitable. GHUMAMA [4th 9/2] creeps in with the lightest weight here, also only had four runs last season, now stepped up in trip and doesn't have to face heavy going this time. Trainer Mark Johnston the ideal man in charge for getting 4yo+ over middle distance trips.

Staked -- 12 points.       Returns -- 6.25 points.
Results will appear here later during Wednesday evening. All results are accurate and recorded to SP returns to a 1pt win stake only and updated each meeting. Our winning start to 2021 continues and these first few months have proved to be successful our overall profit stands at +33.43 pts after meeting #9. We will update tonight's meeting #10 during the course of this evening. Just two winners tonight, so dropped -5.75 points tonight sadly, leaves us on +27.68 points.

Lays -- 11/14 We had a good season last year again 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.

Tonight's Lays;

19:15 - Troll Peninsula [1m Novice Stakes]. Won (boo) 5/4f

Our next midweek floodlit meeting here will be held on Wednesday 14th April so keep well and hopefully we can have a successful 2021.