KEMPTON PARK HORSE RACING 2021 - MEETING #12 WEDNESDAY 5th MAY

 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 pleasantly still ahead as we enter May. Last week I celebrated my 52nd birthday but sadly could not attend the Ascot fixture that we usually have pencilled into the diary. Then we saw the first classics of the 2021 season the 2000 Guineas won by Poetic Flare (16/1) trained by Jim Bolger and ridden by Kevin Manning, while the 1000 on Sunday was won by Mother Earth (10/1) trained by Aiden O'Brien and ridden by Frankie Dettori. Away from the horses my team AFC Wimbledon were playing their final home fixture against Portsmouth and despite losing 1-3 we retained our League One status for another season owing to defeats elsewhere for Rochdale and Northampton which saw the pair relegated along with Swindon Town and Bristol Rovers.

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 four months in 2021 means we arrive here with a +33.68 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 12/16 (75%) after the latest meeting and we shall see how things progress during the year ahead. 

This week will be our twelfth Wednesday evening meeting of the year although sadly it's still being held behind closed doors as we remain locked down as a nation, a roadmap to a more normal life is in progress though. Does appear that the following meeting due to be held on 19th May will have a limited attendance and tickets are selling now for this event. Tonight's meeting we shall now be expecting a seven race card with five handicaps for us to review. Our action will now commence at 17:10 with a five furlong fillies novice event, then we should end the card around about 20:10 with our final handicap for fillies event over six 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 for a somewhat wet afternoon and early evening with regular showers in the forecast but a higher temperature of around 12C tonight - hopefully by the time the next meeting arrives it will begin to warm up for the spectators that will then be in attendance.

Here are our handicap selections for tonight;

18:10  racingtv.com Handicap (3yo)
7f  [Class 5  11 runners]

Our opening handicap is for three year olds, top weight George Scott is a big price but has the benefit of Aled Beech's 5lb claim and isn't out of things. Though SENSE OF ROMANCE has been placed here on two occasions as a 2yo and again should not be too far away on her return to the course. While ARIEL [WON 5/1] wasn't able to get to grips with an easy odds on winner at Newcastle last time out but nothing of that calibre here and another that ought to be in the shake up at a reasonable price tonight.
Result - (7) Ariel @5/1 [K Shoemark].

18:40  Unibet Extra Place Offers Every Day Handicap

7f  [Class 5  10 runners]

Top weight Espresso Freddie has had plenty of good runs here winning back in December but unable to follow up off higher marks, should run a good race but likely to find one or two better handicapped tonight. PAXOS [WON 11/8f] hasn't had much racing and did the job at Chelmsford last time out this looks a similar contest back at Kempton and the yard are in good form so one with chances. 

Elsewhere Right Action will probably find a race again one day but is 66/1 for this and despite his trainers record would be a huge surprise but I might still be tempted to go for a small place bet, while down the bottom of the handicap is RISAALAAT a course and distance winner who was not too far away since then back at this track, was running on late there, and is the second selection against the field for us.

Result - (2) Paxos @11/8f [L Morris].

19:10  Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Handicap

7f  [Class 3  6 runners]

Just the six now, with the unbeaten 4yo RANSOM trained by Sir Michael Stoute will probably be a short price and the one to beat, so we shall have to take two against him tonight. Sky Commander (J Tate) would appear to be the one to take advantage if the fav fails to shine, twice a winner on the all weather in five starts should have a big say in the finish but I am going with two longer priced selections. SANAADH (M Wigham) has performed well and despite advancing years still winning in similar grade, as proved at Newcastle back in January, then runner up here. While another 8yo ZHUI FENG (T Ward) has won off marks in the 100s and scored here in February so still has the ability to run well at a decent price.

Result - (3) Tiger Crusade @7/2 [J P Spencer].

19:40  Unibet New Instant Roulette Handicap

1m 7f 218y  [Class 5  8 runners]

Roger Charlton has started to have runners now and his lightly raced 4yo MINISTERIAL should step forward for the new longer trip and is respected after his season opener at Lingfield. While Mick Channon runs the filly SINGLE who is a regular over the staying trips, winner at Salisbury last year, and ran well staying on back at the same course last time out, the extra furlong looks sure to be in her favour.

Result - (7) Blazon @9/1 [L Morris].

20:10  Try Our New Price Boosts At Unibet Fillies' Handicap

6f  [Class 5  4 runners]

The finale is for fillies and has attracted a small field of five, Second Collection [Non Runner] (T: A W Carroll) heads the quintet, the mare having not won for two years is easily overlooked here, THE NOSEY PARKER (T: R Hughes) won twice towards the end of last year and she can perform better than her reappearance in another small field. VIVENCY (T: L Carter) has run here four of her six runs to date and that includes a course victory, should also be close once more.

Miss Thoughtful [Non Runner](T: L McJannet) and Aramis Grey (T. Rae Guest) make up our five here, both were runners up when last seen and off similar marks again might have to settle for the same result here.

Result - (5) Aramis Grey @4/9f [B A Curtis].

Staked -- 10 points.       Returns -- 8.375 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 +33.68 pts after meeting #11. We will update tonight's meeting #12 during the course of this evening, couple of winners, and a small loss sadly, -1.625 on the night, but still ahead overall by +32.055 pts. 

Lays -- 12/16 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. Sadly the short priced, odds on, favourite won tonight, but that's the risk we take. 12/17

Tonight's Lays;

17:10 Thunder Love [5f 2yo Fillies Novice]. WON 2/5F 

The next midweek floodlit meeting here will be held on Wednesday 19th May so keep well and hopefully we can have a successful 2021.