7.50pm Kempton Tips & Betting Preview 31/05/2017

This is a Class 4 handicap over seven furlongs, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: Richard Hannon’s TAFAAKHOR isn’t the easiest to win with but he’s on a fair mark and he should have improved for a recent run at Lingfield. That came in a similar race to this and he should be able to win a race of this nature with the champion jockey aboard so he gets the vote today. Gymnaste looked like a nice sort when she won a maiden last time out but the handicapper has handed her a stiff enough mark which will make life difficult in this.

1 GYMNASTE – Lovely Shamardal filly who has shown plenty of pace in two starts to date. She’s kept over 7 furlongs today following a comfortable victory at Chelmsford earlier this month where she scored by an easy 2 1/4 lengths. She makes her handicap debut off a stiff enough mark of 87 but she’s clearly open to progression and stall 4 should be ideal for her. Respected for a yard with a 22% strike rate at Kempton.

2 BLAZE OF GLORY – Raced four times this winter on the All-Weather which included a maiden victory at Lingfield over a mile. He’s gone close in two handicaps since although it was bitterly disappointing that he failed to score in a three-runner race off a one pound higher mark. He looks fairly treated but this is a tougher race than anything he’s faced to date and others make more appeal.

3 KEYSER SOZE – Did well to score on his seasonal return to action last time out. He travelled beautifully that day and was delivered to an easy 2 3/4 length success which finally ended his string of maiden defeats. He’s got clear ability and it is a positive to see him remain at 7 furlongs so there is a lot to like about Richard Spencer’s runner for a yard with 2 winners from their last 8 runners.

4 TAFAAKHOR – Broke his maiden tag at the tenth time of asking in a lowly 7 furlong maiden at Brighton last month. He remains on a mark of 83 following a 1 3/4 length defeat at Leicester earlier this month and that showed him to be on a workable mark having come in similar company to todays. The trip and conditions are fine and connections persist with him so they clearly think there’s more to come and he looks a tad overpriced in this.

5 ABATEMENT – Was turned out very quickly as a 3yo which saw him break his maiden tag over 7 furlongs at Lingfield in January. He returned to action in a much tougher race than this at Newbury last time out and it wasn’t the greatest of surprises to see him struggle in that hot contest. This should be more up his street for a yard that have a 23% strike rate at present and he deserves a second look in the betting here.

6 ARCHER’S ARROW – Beat a nice sort over a mile at Kempton last month to win his maiden but he couldn’t follow that effort up with another win in a Class 4 handicap. He was beaten 2 1/2 lengths that day by a fair sort and he should come on again for that and Saeed bin Suroor looks to have found him a good opportunity here. Cheekpieces are applied for the first time and he should be dangerous today now kept over 7 furlongs.

7 AL REEH – Scored by a narrow margin to land a maiden on his final start of last year. Connections have not gelded him over the winter which is an obvious plus and there should be more to come from him as a 3yo over this sort of trip. He was beaten twice at a short price last year and this might be a big ask off a seasonal break so he may be one to watch for another day later in the season for a yard in average form of late.

8 SEA SHACK – Won a conditions event over 7 furlongs at Goodwood last September and he showed plenty of promise that day having showed clear improvement. He couldn’t get his head in-front over 7 furlongs at Lingfield earlier this month which was disappointing although it’s far too soon to write off this nice looking son of Equiano. He may come on again for that run and Silvestre De Sousa is booked to ride today. Signs point to a big run.

9 ANGEL DOWN – Finished behind Sea Shack last time out and he should improve for that run given it was his first off a break. He’s better off at the weights today and Dane O’Neill remains in the saddle which is positive although he will need to step forward again and he looked better suited to the 6 furlong trip having shown plenty of speed as a 2yo. He has a couple of questions to answer and is best watched here.

10 DUBAI ART – Lightly-raced son of Dutch Art and he makes his third career start today. He stayed on well to snatch victory in a maiden earlier this year and this trip looks perfect for him although he will need a decent pace to aim at here. Stall 10 is far from ideal but he has shown some pace and David Nolan will have to make a quick decision as to whether he holds him up or rushes him up out wide. Open to any amount of improvement.

11 MUTOONDRESDASHORSE – Plenty of money around for him on his seasonal reappearance. He had been off the track for a year but he showed no ill effects for that having won a shade cosily at Newbury over 7 furlongs on Soft ground last time out. He’s another that’s open to plenty of improvement and a mark of 78 looks fair on what he has achieved to date. Adam Kirby retains the ride and he could be dangerous here from stall 7.

12 HIMSELF – Well-beaten at Leicester last time out when he finished eighth of ten, beaten 10 1/2 lengths by some decidedly average sorts. That was disappointing given he finished third in a Class 3 handicap over C&D last November and connections will be hopeful he improves from his first run of the season. He will appreciate further than this in time but remains one of interest if there is strong market support.

13 COSTAL CYCLONE – Ran a perfectly respectable race over 6 furlongs at Salisbury just over a fortnight ago to finish fourth of ten, beaten just 3 lengths. That was a good run off a mark of 76 and he’s been dropped a pound here which can only help his chances. However, he’s stepped back up in trip today and stall 13 is going to make life incredibly difficult. Wouldn’t be a surprise to see him win, but others make just slightly more appeal.