13:50 Kempton – Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) – Knight Salute
Unbeaten in four starts over hurdles this season, Knight Salute has been a star for Wiltshire-based trainer Milton Harris. He has won two races at grade two level so far, with the application of a hood working well from the very first start at the new yard. He won the Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham in November ahead of some promising types, before claiming his 2nd grade one at Doncaster. This win was ahead of subsequent listed winner Impulsive One, who runs again here. This also confirmed form of a previous victory over Impulsive One at Kempton in October, giving this horse winning course form . He also beat Porticello, who recently picked up grade one success at Haydock. If there was an argument against the form, Porticello’s success was for less prize money than any of Knight Salute’s grade two wins, perhaps making for a less competitive field. The heavy conditions also suited him better than when he faced Knight Salute on good-soft. However, this is still form ahead of grade-level winners over hurdles that the rest of the field lacks and he justifies favouritism.
14:25 Kempton – Coral Pendil Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) – Pic D’orhy
With two wins from four starts this season, Pic D’orhy picked up grade two success over fences at Ascot in December. This came after his first attempt at graded success in this discipline crumbled with a bad fall when leading at Newbury. Millers Bank also unseated his rider in that race, something he would repeat in his most recent outing at Cheltenham. Pic D’orhy was last seen finishing a disappointing 3rd in the grade one Scilly Isles Chase behind impressive winner L’Homme Presse. He kept on getting in close to the fences and in the closing stages wasn’t far off the winner going into the straight when he faded. The constantly changing undulations may have caused the otherwise good jumper issues, and trainer Paul Nicholls suggests the flatter course at Kempton should see improvement from him. The main threat in this race is Minella Drama who is coming off the back of a grade two success at Haydock on soft ground in January. He isn’t without a chance but the going here is going to be good with no rain forecast and that might just work in Pic D’orhy’s favour.
15:37 Kempton – Coral Trophy Handicap Chase (Grade 3) – Annsam
last seen claiming the listed Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase at Ascot, with Phoenix Way finishing four and a half lengths behind in 2nd. On this occasion, the 6lb difference in weights carried by both horses will be the same as their previous meeting, working in Annsam’s favour. After defeat to this horse at Ascot, Phoenix Way went on to beat Venitia Williams trained Fanion D’estruval at Ascot. Williams’ runner was rated 159 by the handicapper, a mark that is higher than anything running in this race, even though the weights worked massively in Phoenix Way’s favour. A runner who isn’t without a chance is Our Power who runs for Welsh trainer Sam Thomas, who claimed an impressive double at Ascot last week. His horse has taken well to fences but would probably prefer softer going.
16:18 Fairyhouse – Tote Bobbyjo Chase (Grade 3) – Burrows Saint
Finished 4th in last year’s Grand National. Burrows Saint hasn’t won since claiming an ungraded hurdle win at Punchestown in 2019. However, he has rarely been out of the places in the six runs since. He finished 2nd in this race last year, and his latest run was a brave effort in 2nd behind two time Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo. The grade three Savills Chase is Al Boum Photo’s regular destination for a prep run before Cheltenham and it was his 4th victory in the race. Burrows Saint led in the late stages and only finished four lengths behind the winner, the smallest distance any horse has lost to Al Boum Photo at Tramore. This might suggest Burrows Saint is getting near his best form again and he will carry 8lb less than two of his three opponents this time round. One of those horses is Any Second Now who finished 3rd in the same Grand National, but was carrying 4lb less than Burrows Saint. More form of interest was in the 2019 renewal of the Irish Grand National where Any Second Now fell and Burrows Saint was the winner. Although Burrows Saint has declined slightly since this victory, it is still something to note and as mentioned his previous run showed promise.
Hawkinsport 