7.55pm Kempton Tips & Betting Preview 02/11/2016

Eight runners have been declared for the 1m4f Listed event on Wednesday’s Kempton card. Read our horse-by-horse race preview for our experts’ betting tips.

IN SUMMARY: Four-time Group-race winner Western Hymn is the class act in this field and will be hard to beat if matching the form that saw him finish second in three consecutive Group 3 turf events in the spring. However, he wasn’t quite firing on all cylinders on his two two outings after a break last month and his chance today could depend on how well he responds to a first-time visor. At the prices on offer, he is taken on with HAMELIN, who clearly wasn’t himself when beaten out of sight on turf at Ascot on his latest outing in June and made a bold from the front when second in this race last year. Subsequently, he filled the same position in a similar race back here three weeks later. Berkshire is excused his defeat on soft turf in France last month, where he got tired after blasting off in front, and was a winner at this level two starts ago. Restorer wasn’t quite at his best in the spring but has a part to play if back in the groove after his break.

1 Berkshire – Carries a 5lb penalty for his narrow-margin success in Listed company at Windsor (11.6f, good to firm) in August and is not yet proven on Polytrack but almost certainly went off too hard when well beaten in a soft-ground Group 2 in France last month and has the ability to figure here.

2 Hamelin – Absent since running as though something was amiss on turf in June but seemed to respond well to first-time visor when third in a 2m handicap here in April and last year’s close second in this race suggests he’ll cope with the drop back in trip; no surprise if he’s been primed to run well in this event again.

3 Hell Yeah – Didn’t make the track for Godolphin and was offloaded by that outfit for just £800 in 2014; made smooth headway from off the pace to cause 25/1 surprise in a C&D maiden on debut in August 2015 but the bare form is nothing out of the ordinary and we haven’t see him again since.

4 Restorer – Lightly raced 4yo who ended last season with a win in Listed company at Newmarket (1m2f, soft) a year ago; probably not quite in the same form on any of his three starts in the spring but will find this easier than his latest assignment and seems to handle Polytrack; could have a say if ready to roll after six-month break.

5 Star Storm – Made rapid progress in autumn 2015, climaxing with clearcut success in a Group 3 contest at Ascot (1m4f, good); major player if able to recapture that form here but generally been very disappointing this season (five starts) and needs to stage a revival on today’s AW debut.

6 Western Hymn – Not seen on the AW since winning a 1m maiden on debut here in 2013 but has four Group-race victories (all at around 1m2f) to his name since then; yet to hit the target this year but both 1m4f Group 3 runs on softish ground last month were very respectable and he has a good chance at the weights today; sports first-time visor

7 Kiltara – Produced new career-best performance when making all in a Class 2 handicap at Yarmouth (1m6f, good to firm) in September but finished down the field when tackling Listed company at Bath last month; recent midfield run at this level at Lingfield (1m5f, AW) was better but she still needs to find something extra.

8 Yorkidding – Three Class 2 handicap wins this season, the more recent at Newmarket (1m5f, good to firm); subsequently placed over 1m6f in Listed company in Germany and would have prefered a stronger pace at Lingfield last time, but the concern is that she’ll be caught flat-footed at some stage today.

myracing Forecast Prices: 5/4 Western Hymn, 5/1 Restorer, 6/1 Berkshire, 8/1 Hamelin, Yorkidding, 12/1 Star Storm, 16/1 Kiltara, 20/1 Hell Yeah