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Horse racing: This Prince-ly pair may be worth the little wait
The beginning of a new month tomorrow but it’s a case of the same old moderate fare on the all-weather with an evening card at Kempton.
Leicester, Ludlow and Newcastle stage jumps fixtures before that but hopefully Prince Of Burma will be worth waiting for in Kempton’s 7.20pm.
Follow a horse in form is usually a good ploy and Jeremy Gask’s Prince Of Burma arrives for tomorrow’s contest at the very top of his game following back-to-back wins at Kempton and Lingfield.
The four-year-old now carries another 6lbs penalty for his latest victory but that success came in very ready fashion and with big question marks about the opposition there seems every chance the top weight will land a hat-trick.
The fact that Bianca De Medici is forecast to be second favourite in this race says it all as, while this one definitely has ability, time and again Hughie Morrison’s charge has found nothing off the bridle after appearing certain to win.
Bianca De Medici must have been long odds-on in running last time but it was the same old story as Richard Fahey’s Podgies Boy stayed on strongly to deny her and, worryingly, the Fahey runner has done nothing for the form after being well beaten since.
It may just be that Hayley Turner’s presence will work the oracle with Bianca De Medici but you’d have to fancy Prince Of Burma more if it came down to a battle and he looks a good selection at around the forecast 3-1 mark.
Ian Mongan, a decent jockey on the all-weather, does the steering and hopefully the Gask runner can make it three quick wins in a row. It was also encouraging to see him so well backed last time, suggesting he is still well ahead of the assessor, and there must be further scope for progression from an animal who once cost 100,000 euros.
It’s hard to be confident about much else at Kempton, but Cats Eyes should have a decent chance of winning at the second time of asking in the opening maiden at 4.50pm.
The Robert Cowell-trained runner was noticeably short in the betting when making her debut the other week and ran a very nice race when fifth to Dark Castle – a horse who remains very well thought of even if he has been beaten since.
Tomorrow’s race is not a great one at all so unless debutante Kiss My Heart is decent Cats Eyes ought to improve enough to get off the mark.
Recent winners Focail Maith and Liquid Sunshine are the obvious ones to turn to in the contests at 5.20pm and 6.20pm respectively, while Blueberry Fizz, a non-runner when well fancied the other day, looks to have decent chances of getting that elusive first win in the finale (7.50pm).
However, if there’s one more good bet at Kempton it is likely Prince Gabrial for Kevin Ryan and Hayley Turner in the handicap at 6.50pm.
This horse is getting better with experience and his run at Lingfield last time, when a close second to the long-odds on Gaul Wood, was probably a pretty good gone.
Prince Gabrial cost over £50,000 and is related to Listed winner Baileys Cacao so it seems fair to assume that a mark of 62 will not be the ceiling of his ability.
The Ryan yard are also in good form – as is Hayley – and while Whipcrackaway did the job nicely enough last time, Prince Gabrial looks a handicap good thing and will probably be backed accordingly.
Playing The Field – a cosy winner last time – looks like one to follow at Newcastle (2.50pm), but hopefully our Kempton all-weather fancies will be worth the wait.
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
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