London Middle Distance Final Tips & Betting Preview

£55,000 is up for grabs in this valuable series final on Wednesday’s Kempton card. Read on for our experts’ betting tips and full race preview.

IN SUMMARY: Sam Missile is not yet fully exposed and met some traffic when second off today’s mark over C&D on his latest outing but, at the odds on offer, preference is for SENNOCKIAN STAR, who is not the horse he once was but has proved very reliable in recent months and is currently 1lb lower than when going close here in early September. Sixties Groove looks progressive and is afforded plenty of respect after hitting the frame in a valuable 1m4f event at Newmarket last month, but his odds looks rather skinny in what is sure to be a hotly contested event. Rock Steady could have a bit more to offer over middle-distance trips on Polytrack and also gets a mention.

1 Storm Rock – Has gained all three wins on softish turf, the latest at Salisbury (1m2f, soft) in September; last month’s fifth at Newbury (1m2f, good to soft) was very respectable but both previous AW runs were underwhelming and he has a bit to prove on this surface.

2 Banish – Swapped cheekpieces for first-time blinkers and made rapid headway from off the pace to score over C&D in September; not in same form when down the field in valuable turf handicap at Newmarket on latest outing but still quite lightly raced and might have more to offer back on Polytrack.

3 Zamperini – Produced new career-best performance to gain narrow-margin success at Sandown (1m2f, good to soft) in July but has suffered heavy defeats on last two turf starts; yet to prove he’s fully effective on Polytrack and needs first-time blinkers to have significant effect.

4 Sam Missile – Low-mileage 3yo who won a five-runner contest over 1m4f here in September and didn’t get the best of runs when second over C&D a few days later; competes off the same mark again today and there’s a good chance he’ll be in the thick of things again.

5 Sixties Grove – Won a qualifier for this series final over C&D in June and has made good progress with cheekpieces added on turf since then; stayed on for very creditable fourth in valuable event at Newmarket (1m4f, good to firm) last month and needs to be taken very seriously.

6 Dutch Uncle – Runner-up in valuable C&D event on seasonal debut in March and made all off today’s mark on turf at Lingfield (1m2f, good) a few weeks later, but form dipped markedly afterwards; cheekpieces (now removed) didn’t help on latest outing and he needs subsequent 116-day break to have done him good.

7 Rock Steady – In the frame all six starts this season, most recently when clear second in first-time cheekpieces over C&D last month; another 2lb higher now and goes without any headgear this time but not yet exposed over middle-distance trips on this surface

8 Charlies Mate – Likes to race prominently and has run well to reach the frame here (1m3f-1m4f) on last three appearances; can give another good account today but 3lb rise for latest run could prove tough to swallow; others preferred.

9 Sennockian Star – Not as good as he once was but earns very good marks for his consistency since then summer and was beaten only by three heads when close fourth at Doncaster (1m2f, good) recently; nudged up 1lb for that but still 1lb lower than when going close over C&D in September; considered.

10 Petrucci – Well-bred gelding who won a 1m2f Polytrack maiden for Sir Michael Stoute last year; sold for 22,000gns after well-held fourth over C&D on seasonal/handicap debut in May, though, and was soundly beaten when returning for new yard on turf last month; lots to prove

11 Red Rannagh – Beaten favourite when reaching the frame twice here this autumn (1m3f/1m4f) and is becoming rather frustrating; almost certainly has the raw ability to overcome his current mark but is probably reliant on others setting a strong pace and some luck; now sports a hood.

12 Plymouth Sound – Placed off today’s mark over 1m4f here in August and again when second on turf at Salisbury (1m4f, good to firm) in September; however, his latest run was slightly disappointing and he’s yet to add to his 2yo maiden win in July 2015.

13 I Am Not Here – Has climbed from a BHA rating of 65 to 83 for new stable this season, winning twice on turf along the way (1m5f/1m4f); may not have finished improving but it’s worrying that his only disappointing run of the campaign was on the AW, over C&D in August.

myracing Forecast Prices: 2/1 Sixties Groove, 6/1 Sam Missile, 7/1 Rock Steady, Red Rannagh, 10/1 Banish, Sennockian Star, I Am Not Here, 12/1 Storm Rock, Charlies Mate, 14/1 Dutch Uncle, 20/1 Plymouth Sound, 25/1 Zamperini, 33/1 Petrucci