Kempton Placepot: Wednesday February 8

Daily Placepots / Matt Gardner / 08 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

Kempton Park stages Wednesday's tilt at the placepot.

"A 14-runner race would not typically be one to bank in but, having searched thoroughly for a second selection, Laser Blazer really is the only one to make any serious appeal..."

The abandonment of Carlisle, Lingfield and Ludlow ensures that Kempton Park is the venue for Wednesday's placepot...

14:20 - The opening handicap is not the simplest of tasks to get us underway, but siding with both Silver Linnet and Raimond Ridge ought to see us through. The former has plunged in the weights having not won since April 2010 but has caught the eye on occasion in the meantime. Five furlongs and front-running tactics could well be the key to her, both of which are in the offing today as she starts out for a new yard. Raimond Ridge is another to have shaped well of late and, whilst he may be opposable for the win, he could well run on into a place in the closing stages.

14:50 - A 14-runner race would not typically be one to bank in but, having searched thoroughly for a second selection, Laser Blazer really is the only one to make any serious appeal. Lightly raced for his age, the four year-old continues to drop in the weights despite shaping better than the bare result on a number of occasions. The drop in trip and the fitting of cheekpieces ought to aid his cause enough to gain a place in the first three.

15:25 - Lady Caprice has definite claims of securing her hat-trick after landing a brace of AW handicaps last month. She has been raised a further 5 lb but should make the places despite that. It is also worth including Gin Twist, who responded well to first-time blinkers to win at Wolverhampton in November. She was not in the same kind of form over six furlongs last time, but a return to five can see her in a far better light.

16:30 - Just the four runners to contend with here, but a case can be made for three of them so it is not entirely straightforward. Satwa Laird wasted little time getting off the mark for this yard at Lingfield last month, and he rates as the most likely winner, but April Fool can be a tough nut to crack if granted an uncontested lead, which looks likely here, and he is also included as a degree of insurance.

16:30 - Pale Orchid shed her maiden tag at the eighth time of asking at Lingfield on New Year's Day, and backed that up when fending off the well-treated Dark Castle at this venue a fortnight ago. She looks the type to continue progressing and has excellent claims of landing the hat-trick. Fairway to Heaven is likely to have improved since making a winning debut at this track, greenness masking his superiority that day, and he presents a good opportunity to double-up.

17:00 - Spartilla is respected in the final leg, having been raised 3 lb for his latest win, but Astroscarlet looks banker material to see us safely across the line. The three year-old has improved since tackling handicaps and seemed to relish the step up in trip last time when finding only a well-ridden opponent too good. Racing here off just a 1 lb higher mark, she should be well up to making the places and even gaining her first success.

Selections
14:20 - 2, 10
14:50 - 3
15:25 - 2, 4
15:55 - 1, 3
16:30 - 3, 6
17:00 - 7
= 16 lines