The lightly-raced Vantaa (14:15) hasn't shown much in his four starts to date but, such is the form of the Elaine Burke yard (seven winners in last 20 days), that he's worthy of a second look in the opening mile handicap. Vantaa's first three outings were spread over a four-month period in 2010/11, all for Richard Fahey, prior to his initial run for his current yard in a Wolverhampton handicap last month where he showed some promise in making late headway having been left with a lot to do. With the step up to a mile promising to suit the half-brother to smart six furlong to one mile winner Ashdown Express, Vantaa can improve past the likes of the oft-temperamental Sergeant Troy and inconsistent Prince of Passion.
Despite being a polytrack specialist who has been drawn nearest the rail in a 12-runner field, Beat Route has been overlooked in the market for the mile-and-three-furlong handicap due off at 16:15. While he was well below form on his recent turf return, Beat Route's Timeform master rating on grass is actually 9 lb lower than his one for all-weather, and he actually shaped as if he'd be better for the run, not seen to best effect waited with after taking a while to settle and hampered at halfway. Beat Route, a course-and-distance winner off a 6 lb lower BHA mark in November, is narrowly top rated for today's race and is worth chancing with John Fahy having already won and been second on the five-year-old from just four rides.
The Middleham Moor yard of Elaine Burke also provides today's final SmartPlay in the shape of the unexposed Dancheur (17:45) who goes in the closing six-furlong minor event. One of only two in the line-up deemed open to improvement (the other being I See You), Dancheur was a debut winner when taking a five-furlong maiden at Nottingham in October from a next-time-out scorer and returned as a three-year-old to shape encouragingly in fifth in a Redcar handicap, also over the minimum trip, three weeks ago. The fact that Dancheur looked ahead of her official rating of 63 that day means it's a little baffling that she now races in 0-65 conditions company, but connections clearly feel she can go close and the step up in trip looks a big positive.
Timeform SmartPlays
all at Kempton
Back Vantaa @ 8.415/2 in the 14:15
Back Beat Route @ 8.07/1 in the 16:15
Back Dancheur @ 7.613/2 in the 17:45
