7.25pm Kempton Tips & Betting Preview 29/03/2017

This is a tricky handicap over 1 mile, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: DE VEGAS KID should love this extra furlong tonight on breeding and with original selection Forest Angel now a NR, her conqueror last time out gets the vote in this contest. His biggest danger may well come from No Not Again whose connections probably feel that the horse still has some potential to fulfil.

1 NO NOT AGAIN – Beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Delfie Lane last time out and the form has been let down slightly with the winner comfortably beaten next time out. There has been plenty of money about for him on his last three starts and this mark is certainly workable, he’s just becoming expensive to follow although connections still haven’t gelded him. He has definite claims off this mark but his career record is without a win from ten starts and others make more appeal.

2 OAKLEY PRIDE – Won over 7 furlongs two starts ago in selling company and that came as a big surprise having been sent off at 33/1. The handicapper took no chances with his mark and raised him 16lbs so it was no surprise to see him struggle a little on his first attempt over a mile back in February. He’s gone down 4lbs in the weights following that run but he still looks against it on these terms and is avoided in this.

3 FOREST ANGEL – NR

4 LEGENDOIRE – Trainer has sent out three winners from 28 attempts at Kempton but his runner today is difficult to fancy. He was well beaten at big prices in two handicap runs last season and he’s only been dropped 4lbs for that last defeat over C&D. He’s likely to pop up at some point down the line but it would be a surprise to see that happen here off a 119-day break. Best watched with an eye to races further down the line.

5 DE VEGAS KID – He really caught the eye at Newcastle having stayed on late to grab third and that showed this mark to be workable and the handicapper has perhaps been kind not to raise him a pound or two. The step up in trip should suit (by Lope De Vega) and one to watch out for running on late down the Kempton straight. Interesting contender.

6 DRAGON DREAM – Completed a double at Kempton last Autumn over 7 furlongs and she has paid the price for those efforts as she remains 4lbs higher than that last winning mark. She has run with credit on her last two starts in a similar contest to this but both of those runs came over shorter and there is a question mark as to whether she is as good over a mile. She’s opposed on that basis and she could be dangerous when dropped back into sprints.

7 SIR PLATO – Started to get the hang of racing late on last year with two placed efforts in handicap company at Salisbury and Bath. They both came off today’s mark of 57 so he remains on a fair mark and connections have gelded him over the winter so it’ll be interesting to see how he runs with that in mind. His trainer has a less than inspiring 7% strike rate here and is best watched now returning to action.

8 FOLLOW ME – Her trainer has been in great recent form with two wins from his last 8 runners although this filly doesn’t stand out on paper. She joined her current stable from Hugo Palmer’s over the winter and she ran a poor race for Lee Carter at Lingfield having been beaten 9 lengths at 80/1. This is her first start in a handicap so she’s worth following in the betting but she hardly stands out as well-in.

9 MASQUERADE BLING – No wins from 13 starts and her best form has come over 6 and 7 furlongs so far. She remains on a mark of 55 which she was beaten off last time out and she’s more unexposed than some of her rivals which makes her difficult to recommend. Her trainer has only sent out one winner from 47 runners here and he’s avoided in this.

10 CHAMASAY – Sprung something of a surprise when hacking up at Southwell last time out off a very low mark of 47. It was a bit of a demolition job and he escapes a penalty for that victory as it came in an Apprentice Handicap. David Egan claims 7lbs again which leaves him on an incredibly lenient mark and he should be tough to beat again here. However, he does have a poor draw in stall 9 and this is definitely a tougher race than last time out so it would be no surprise should he fail to follow that victory up here under different conditions.

11 WHATALOVE – Trainer has a 25% strike rate from his runners at Wolverhampton and this is an interesting filly he runs here. She showed some potential off this mark at Chelmsford two starts ago when just touched off by the in-form Viola Park, although she couldn’t follow that up over a mile next time out. She’s worse off at the weights with No Not Again but she should progress again and she would be of major interest with market support.