Welcome to today's Follow The Money, which comes from Ayr and Kempton...
Quite often in two-year-old Maiden races such as the 14:15 at Kempton today, the market can be our best guide. With that in mind it is here that we find today's lay in the shape of Dittander who has been drifting all morning from a low of 2.3611/8 out to 2.9215/8. Our selection represents the all-powerful Hannon/Hughes duo, and they know more than most about how to ready a two-year-old, which makes the drift more significant. Only three of today's field of seven have seen the course before and it is Mick Channon's runner Ar Colleen Aine who made the best impression when finishing fourth at Pontefract two weeks ago. Experience counts for a lot with juveniles, and the market has reacted positively for the Channon filly having almost halved in price from 4.77/2 in to 2.727/4. A lay of Dittander is the call.
Moving north to Ayr for our first positive in the 16:30 class 4 handicap over one mile. David O'Meara has his stable bang in form at the moment with six winners from his last thirty runners and he is doubly represented today. Interestingly, stable jockey Daniel Tudhope has elected to ride Nurpur who has drifted like a barge, and the money has come in droves for Blighty. This lightly raced four-year-old gelding started his career with Lady Cecil and did show some early promise before being moved on to O'Meara. This is just the type that this trainer excels with and with a huge market move from a high of 7.06/1 in to 4.3100/30 Blighty is a confident call from our backers.
It is back to Kempton where we go for our final positive today in the 17:15 Handicap over two miles where Amanda Perrett's Presto Volante is a warm order at what is still a decent price. The confident market move from 14.013/1 in to 8.27/1 suggests that our selection is cherry ripe on seasonal debut and James Doyle - who is riding with supreme confidence at the moment- takes the steering. The Oratorio gelding has had three spins on the all-weather last year and showed a distinct liking for the surface with finishing positions of 124 which make for good reading. All in all, a chance is taken on Presto Volante to give us a nice run for our money.
Recommendations:
Lay Dittander @ 2.9215/8 in the 14:15 at Kempton
Back Blighty @ 4.3100/30 in the 16:30 at Ayr
Back Presto Volante @ 8.27/1 in the 17:15 at Kempton