3.35 Kempton: Class 3 Handicap, 1m

Second start for Made With Love for the David O’Meara yard – in the context of this race, he’s clearly the most intriguing contender. He should theoretically come on for his most recent outing at Newmarket when finishing stone last on his first start after a break as well as for the new yard.

He seemed quite a decent prospect at the start of the new flat season after he showed promise as a three year old when he landed a Kempton maiden. He started his year with a fine performance in a hot Kempton handicap then, finishing 4th while hanging a closer finish way in the final furlong.

Subsequently upped in trip he got badly hampered at a crucial stage in a Doncaster handicap when he seemed to get his act together to mount a challenge. Seemingly not a straightforward horse, he has been off the track and left John Gosden soon after.

Still Made With Love remains with potential. He’s had only six career starts and is open to some improvement with a hood fitted for the first time. This today is an easier race than what he contested mostly this year and the cushioned polytrack should suit him. If there is no underlying problem, like his breathing, he should be able to be a big runner of a mark off 88 now.

Made With Love @ 9/1 Ladbrokes – 5pts Win

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4.40 Kempton: Class 4 Handicap, 7f

Wide open race that could become a muddling affair due to a clear lack of pace. That may be helpful for some doubtful stayers, like Dutiful Son, who drops significantly in class. He has form over this sort of trip but all his wins came over shorter.

Tournament has a clear chance on past form. He showed some of his old sparkle in his last race, so is expected to run well today. He’s quite a skinny price, though. My Target is on a competitive mark, despite having only won a maiden to date. But he has to take a significant step forward if he wants to win this.

Loyalty is one of the few horses enjoying to be up with the pace. That makes him an interesting candidate. But he’s back from a break and never done particularly well as a fresh horse in the past. A big enough mark doesn’t make the task easier.

Purely from a pace angle Bold Prediction is the most interesting contender. He has been held up in recent starts but to my eye wasn’t ridden with the purpose of finishing as good as possible. He hasn’t done much this season over all and as a result dropped dramatically in the weights. Now down to a lowly mark off 77 he must rate a major danger if he takes advantage of the plum draw and reverts back to usual tactics.

Bold Prediction @ 9/2 Ladbrokes – 5pts Win

A good winner today – The Quarterjack got home at Southwell to land the 2m Handicap. He did that really nicely after a tough battle down the home straight. Missed a perfect day unfortunately. Empress Ali ran well but could only manage 2nd place.

7.10 Kempton: Listed Race, 1m 4f

Excellent Listed contest on Kempton’s All-Weather track for a Wednesday night. Last years winner Grendisar is back to defend his crown and he can’t be faulted. He’s a classy individual on the synthetics who loves the trip and the track. In fact in ten starts at Kempton he has never been out of the money.

What speaks against him? His running style can be reason for concern. Grendisar travelles strongly but need to things fall right. He got that often enough last season but if they don’t go overly mad in front here it might be difficult to peg back one or two who get first run. He’s a very short price and his last two performances in recent weeks don’t instil too much confidence.

Grendisar will renew his feud with Fire Fighting. The Mark Johnston inmate was a close runner-up in this very same race last year but beat this rival at Chelmsford last month. He went on to land a good Listed contest at Dundalk over 11f. A mightily impressive performance.

He goes up to 12f again, a trip that can stretch his stamina to the absolute limit. He also has had an awful lot of racing and has to give weight away due his recent success – it’s a pretty tough task in my mind, nonetheless he has the class to overcome all these obstacles.

I really like Missed Call’s chance. She progressed nicely this year from winning a Class 3 Handicap at Ascot to finishing runner-up in the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes. I also feel she has a nice chance on the weights here. Question mark is, despite having winning form over 12f, the trip, though. It stretches her stamina to a maxium and there is the fear that others will outstay her in this very deep contest.

Stamina concerns hanging over In The Fast Lane as well. As a lover of South African racing I’m happy to see this former winner of the Grade 1 Woolavington Stakes now racing in the UK. The mare is classy on her day, but has serious question marks about the trip. And not only that.

Due her transfer to the UK she had a very long break, for that impressed on her comeback run at Chelmsford in September, but then completely bombed out subsequently. So it’s hard to know what we get from her.

Sweet P is undoubtedly a very progressive filly who also seems to enjoy the All-Weather. Nonetheless, despite presenting herself in top form lately, she has to progress big time to land this race. Which is not impossible, given she tries the 12f trip only for the third time in her career.

You can’t leave out of the equation progressive handicapper Dartmouth. The ground was maybe too soft when we saw him the last time, but up until then he won three of his five starts in 2015. More improvement is required here now, with the All-Weather being an unknown. I’m not sure if this test is what he wants, but he is unlikely to be far away if he can translate his turf form to the polytrack.

However I’m completely sold to Hamelin. I really like his profile. He’s got not too many miles on the clock for a five year old, had only three starts this year and has previous course and distance form. He also has been in impressive lately when landing a competitive class 3 Handicap at Wolverhampton.

He was a bit off at the start but was soon rushed forward from his wide draw to lead the field. It’s true that he wasn’t particularly hard pressed, but those early antics at the start must have cost loads of energy. It was impressive to see how he kicked on from three furlongs out and had the whole field quickly on the stretch.

Yes, more is required here in this race and the weights aren’t exactly favouring him – but he has the profile of an improving horse and could easily have more to offer. He will have to, obviously, but if he can find some improvement, he has to rate a top danger for the others.

Hamelin @ 9/1 Bet365 – 5pts Win