Timeform Weekend Preview: Kempton comes to the rescue...

Weekend Preview / Timeform / 06 February 2009 / Leave a Comment

Denman will ride this weekend as Kempton steps in following Newbury cancellation.

Race meetings have fallen foul of the cold snap in recent weeks, and it was disappointing to see Newbury's totesport Trophy meeting abandoned following an inspection on Friday morning. Although racing fans will have to wait a bit longer to see Master Minded and Numide in action, the news that Denman would head to Kempton on Saturday will surely provide some consolation, providing the course passes an early morning inspection.

The Gold Cup winner makes his seasonal reappearance in the 2.50 Grade 2 Levy Board Chase and faces opposition from six rivals, including Joe Lively, Albertas Run and An Accordion.

In the following race, a graduation chase, Moon Over Miami clashes with Lightning Strike, Tartak and Osako D'Airy. In the opening conditional jockeys handicap hurdle, Nicky Henderson's Tinagoodnight bids to overcome a 15month absence. Also in the field are Oiseau De Nuit, Pearl and Qanta De Thaix. Henderson will also be hoping to enter the winner's enclosure when saddling Andytown in the following race, a maiden chase, in which Philip Hobbs' Leading Contender looks his biggest danger.

With Ayr also facing an inspection on Saturday morning, only the all-weather meetings at Wolverhampton and Lingfield look certain to go ahead, with a seven-race card on offer at the former venue.

The most valuable race of the day at Wolverhampton is the fourth race, The Dine in the Horizons Restaurant Handicap over five furlongs and worth £12,000. It has attracted ten entries, with Harry Up looking to maintain the fine form of the Kevin Ryan string facing competition from, amongst others, Yungaburra and Canadian Danehill.

Over at Lingfield there is plenty of handicap action scheduled, Ryan once again on show when saddling Mutamared in the 1.50, the Nureyev-gelding looking for a sixth win in seven starts. In the sixth race on the card Michael Jarvis will be hoping the blinkers can revitalise Philatelist, who carries top-weight against the likes of Ace of Hearts, Internationaldebut and recent course winner Confidentiality.

Both race meetings in Ireland have been cancelled over the weekend with Leopardstown's valuable card rescheduled to later next week whilst in Britain on Sunday it's uncertain whether Hereford will race and Exeter has already been abandoned. With such disruption to racing of late, many, not least racehorse trainers, will be hoping the cold snap comes to an end shortly.