Nick Luck’s Blog: Angels Breath may be a godsend at Kempton

Kempton

TILE TAPPER looks a perfectly sensible solution to the opening ITV4 race at Kempton on Saturday (1.30pm), priced at 11/4. Although the Sunbury track tends to drain better than most, the Clerk is already warning that it is likely to ride extremely tiring. This should been in Tile Tapper’s favour: he is nothing if not a thorough stayer, and he showed excellent form when second in a deeper race than this here last time. His yard is running into a nice bit of form, and it seems significant that the stable jockey comes here in preference to riding in the Classic chase at Warwick.

ANGELS BREATH is an almost ridiculous selection after over three years off the track, but I’m giving this a go (2.05pm) at 17/2. He is evidently still showing a huge amount of ability at home, and has Gold Cup and Ryanair entries for good measure. This may be too insubstantial for you, in which case dust off the VHS of this horse handing First Flow a summary thrashing at Ascot in his first novice chase and ask how many of these could have done the same thing. In addition, his love of bad ground was commented on more than once by his previous trainer, and most of these don’t want it this soft.

HERMES BOY is an each-way pick in the Lanzarote (2.40pm) at 14/1. The trainer has prepared horses to win and run well in this before, and this one is quietly moving in the right direction, with cheekpieces possibly helping of late. He has plenty of form tying him into a couple at much shorter prices, and we know that he won’t be bothered by a real test at the trip in gluey conditions. With no weight and a good gallop guaranteed, I can see him getting a slice of the place action, at the very least.

SLATE HOUSE is a horse I would happily never have tipped again, but he’s been found a lovely opportunity (3.15pm), in a race where 5 of his 6 rivals were pulled up last time and the other is taking a hike on class on unproven ground. Slate House himself comes with risks, but he has often shown his best form at this track, can act on winter soft, and could just boss these inferiors. XX/1 at the time of writing.

Warwick

COMPLETE UNKNOWN looks the soundest option in the first TV race at Warwick (1.50pm) at 6/5. He looked a decent prospect for chasing when winning the EBF Final last year, showing good reserves of stamina, and his jumping technique looked notable for a novice at FFos Las. The step up in trip is sure to suit and he might just be scratching the surface.

GINNY’S DESTINY might be pretty decent at 7/2, and can give Tom Lacey a second winner of the Leamington in three years (2.25pm). Evidently a late bloomer, he has nonetheless been well backed every time he has run, really putting it together in some style over this course and distance last time. The second horse has hosed up since, while the third was not far off last season’s best bumper horses. The selection is bred to be very smart – all three other geldings out of his dam are of Graded quality – and he might take some beating here.

GRUMPY CHARLEY gets the nod in the Classic Chase (3.00pm) at 8/1. There aren’t too many that are either in form or well handicapped, but he is both, as well as being completely unexposed at the trip, coming here off a career best chasing effort, and safe in the knowledge from his hurdling exploits that there is more in the locker class-wise. Add James Bowen to the mix, and you have a pretty compelling proposition.

GLIMPSE OF GALA might be the safest option in the Pertemps Qualifier (3.35pm) at 13/2. It’s borderline impossible to work out how most of these are likely to run, and even the interesting unexposed one – The Bomber Liston – doesn’t look like he has stones in hand. As such, it might pay to go with the in form, improving mare and keep it simple.