Rhys Williams' Friday Racing Tips: Kimngrace to take step up in class in her stride

Plenty of promise on debut

Newbury 15:20: Kimngrace 1pt e/w 18/1

Kimngrace is one of only two maidens lining up in this listed race but I think she has a better chance of getting off the mark than the market suggests after running a highly promising race on debut.

She made her debut over six furlongs at Newmarket last month and fared best of the newcomers despite doing things wrong during the race and the trip clearly stretching her stamina. She raced keenly under restraint in midfield through the first half of the race before easing into contention with two furlongs to go and was travelling best at that point. Shaken along, she was in a leading line of three a furlong out but had nothing left in the last half furlong and faded to finish fourth.

The first three home are rated 83, 83 and 82 while the sixth has since won a nursery off 70. On the bare form she has quite a bit to find with the likes of Delmona and Flotus but the manner in which she travelled for much of the race was very taking and she looks very likely to benefit from a step back in trip and a big field where she can get plenty of cover.

It may turn out that the step up to Listed company is reaching a bit too high on her second start but that connections have gone down this route with her rather than just finding a fillies maiden suggests that they must be seeing plenty from her at home and expecting improvement from the debut. Any 12/1 or bigger appeals.

Step back up in trip may bring a revival

Newbury 17:05: Hamaron 0.5pt win 40/1

Hamaron showed a fairly good level of ability in Germany and France when in training with Henk Grewe but since being claimed by David Evans after finishing fifth at Amiens, his career has been on a downward trajectory.

He quickly dropped out of contention in the straight on his first start for Evans at Wolverhampton in January and he then looked short of speed when ridden more patiently over a mile at Lingfield.

He clearly didn't take to the Fibresand on two starts at Southwell but did show minor promise over seven furlongs at Kempton in between those runs when the trip clearly looked too sharp for him.

On his latest start in late March at Lingfield over a mile, he was never in contention and only beat one home in finishing eleventh.

Hamaron has since been given a 140-day break and it may be that he had a problem which was causing those poor runs which has now been sorted. It may also be that he took a while to settle into the routine of a different yard and that caused the poor runs.

The step back up in trip to 1m2f, a distance over which he showed good form in Germany and France, and the long straight at Newbury should be more suitable for him than the all weather tracks he's run at in Britain. If he can get back to anywhere near the level of ability he showed when in training with Grewe then he will run well off a mark of 60.

There is the obvious concern that he might just not be any good anymore for whatever reason and will continue to decline and he might need the run after the absence but I think these circumstances give Hamaron a chance to show his best again and any 20/1 or bigger appeals.