The run-in towards the Cheltenham Festival continues to shorten and shorten as the days pass, and one marker on the road to Prestbury Park is Coral Trophy Handicap Chase Day at Kempton.
Once known as the Racing Post Trophy, the £150,000 contest highlights a good day of action from the Middlesex-based track which also includes the Grade 2 Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, Grade 2 Pendil Novices’ Chase, and Grade 2 Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle.
With a few bets in mind, let’s get started.
1:15 Kempton – Joker De Mai @ 4/1 with William Hill – 2pt Win
Harry Derham could take it to the ‘Max’ on Saturday at Kempton thanks to a number of interesting runners, though the one I’m siding with is Joker De Mai in the opener for owner-jockey David Maxwell.
Backing a Maxwell-ridden horse does require some bravery, but that is usually taken into the price and this progressive five-year-old can continue his rise through the ranks.
Formerly in France, the Balko gelding has plenty of experience on his side and he even won two chase contests before his move over to the UK. My French form knowledge isn’t amazing, but the horse he beat on his final start – Jardin D’Arthel – beat Excello (now rated 144 and with Nicky Henderson) on his next start before a fair fifth in the Grade 1 Prix Ferdinand Dufaure.
Today we head to @kemptonparkrace with Joker De Mai and Givemefive.
Best of luck to their owners David Maxwell and Smash Racing.
Read my thoughts ⬇️https://t.co/97gdrkSVOL pic.twitter.com/D5QOXqwH5x
— Harry Derham (@Harry05Derham) February 24, 2024
As for Joker De Mai, he beat Awaythelad, a horse who has won twice since, on his second start in the UK and both the fourth, I’d Like To Know, and the fifth, Naturally High, have gone some way to frank the form.
Although he failed to win last time out, that race came just 10 days after his Lingfield win and that potentially showed with the way he finished his race.
With a 65-day break on his side, I’m hoping for a much better outing off a mark of 128.
1:58 Chepstow – Zambezi Fix @ 3/1 with BetVictor – 2pt Win
Zambezi Fix has been a joy to watch this season for Bernard Llewellyn; this isn’t pocket talk, though his success at Chepstow two starts ago has contributed to this opinion slightly.
NAP in the @DubbzysTips competition lands with ZAMBEZI FIX (13/2) obliging at Chepstow.
Few disappointing runs from the rest of the fancies but nice to see a winner come in at the end of the day. https://t.co/hz1txsNvmv
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) December 27, 2023
Connections have mixed between hurdles and fences with their nine-year-old and off a hurdles mark of 120, he returns to the smaller obstacles this weekend.
Over fences, he has tended to jump cautiously – something which potentially lost him the race last time out – but he is a fairly solid jumper over hurdles.
His form over sticks is pretty good as he was third to JPR One at Taunton in March 2023, though it’s his form around Chepstow that shines the brightest.
RACE 3 RESULTS – @pertempsjobs Network EMEA Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
🥇 Zambezi Fix 11/1
🥈 No No Tonic 11/2
🥉 Petticoat Lucy 9/1Jockey: Robert Williams
Trainer: Bernard Llewellyn
Owners: Gethyn Mills & BJ Llewellyn pic.twitter.com/veYgppzmQx— Chepstow Racecourse (@Chepstow_Racing) February 25, 2023
From 12 runs at the track, he has placed four times behind the likes of Funambule Sivola and Le Cameleon, and he has won twice.
Soft ground is no problem to him and in what is a winnable contest, he should go close this weekend.
3:00 Sandown – Lump Sum @ 6/4 with BetVictor – 2pt Win
Visually, Lump Sum is a horse that has pleased me so far this season and Saturday could see him collect his first piece of graded silverware.
In his formbook, the first race people will look at is his effort behind Jeriko Du Reponet at Doncaster in the Grade 2 Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle.
Pulls out more! 👊
Jeriko Du Reponet grinds out victory in the Grade 2 @SBK Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle at @DoncasterRaces for Mark Walsh and @sevenbarrows! pic.twitter.com/vki39c80fV
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 27, 2024
I’ll be the first to admit that my liking for Jeriko Du Reponet isn’t a strong one, but he made up plenty of ground on a potential Grade 1 horse from the rear which can’t be ignored.
Prior to that, he beat Onethreefivenotout, a subsequent maiden hurdle winner, at Wincanton on heavy ground while giving seven pounds away.
Looking even further back, he tried to give The Doyen Chief, two-time novice hurdle winner, seven pounds in a Hereford bumper and ran with credit.
If he continues his progress on Saturday, he should be the one to beat and his price of 6/4 is fair.
3:37 Kempton – Bowtogreatness @ 13/2 with William Hill – 1pt EW
All season, I have waited eagerly to see Bowtogreatness in a three-mile handicap chase with race fitness on his side, and finally, the Coral Trophy Handicap Chase is where we get to see this happen.
Having suffered a setback in the first few months of the season, his opening run of the campaign blew the cobwebs off and his second run was over a trip shorter than ideal.
Thanks to these two performances, the handicapper has dropped the eight-year-old by two pounds in the handicap to a mark of 133, just one pound above the mark he was on when second in the valuable William Hill Handicap Chase at Aintree.
A more streamlined eagle from @harryskelton89 as he guides Midnight River to glory in the @WilliamHill Handicap Chase for @DSkeltonRacing @AintreeRaces 🦅 pic.twitter.com/dR1OvD3hTZ
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 15, 2023
Ben Pauling has always rated this horse in high regard, and three miles around the flat nature of Kempton should suit as he doesn’t lack speed.
Interestingly, although he has won on heavy and soft over hurdles, Pauling has pulled him out of races due to soft ground in the past.
❌ Ben Pauling confirms that Bowtogreatness has suffered a small setback.
"We'll probably go back to the novice route now and aim for something at Christmas, potentially the Kauto Star Novices' Chase.
"He's almost the apple of my eye – he's a good horse."@benpauling1 pic.twitter.com/BfMzy4ndGK
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) November 7, 2023
This is a small worry as the track is officially soft, but Kempton is unlikely to receive any more rain before racing. Furthermore, the Westerner blood on his sire’s side, and the family on his dam’s side, suggests soft ground should cause no issues.
