The Bestofbets.com column is back with some Free Kempton Park Racecourse Racing Tips for Saturday’s Coral Trophy card.
Last week, Pic D’Orhy was the only think to shout about, and seven says later, I am putting my trust in another short-priced Paul Nicholls runner.
So, let’s dive in.
Free Kempton Park Racecourse Racing Tips
1:50 Kempton – Rubaud @ 11/8 with William Hill – 2pt Win
I think today is quite hard, but I’m happy to have some outlay on Rubaud in the Grade 2 Pendil Novices’ Chase.
The base facts behind this horse are that he is a classy horse, he loves Kempton, and he gets his ground.
His last run at Warwick in the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices’ Chase was a solid effort around a completely different course to this on the wrong ground in a slightly below-par time for the Paul Nicholls yard.
The run can be massively upgraded for this, and, furthermore, nearly running down L’Eau Du Sud, the best British chance in this year’s Arkle, is objectively good form.
Three of his six rivals have to give him weight as well, so that’s another thing going for him.
I think there’s plenty in the favour of Rubaud today, and he gets my strong vote of confidence.
3:07 Chepstow – Harper’s Brook @ 9/1 with William Hill – 1pt Win
Have I hit my head? Not that I know of. Am I going insane? Maybe.
However, Harper’s Brook is my likely winner of the two-mile handicap chase at Chepstow as long as he can put his quirky tendencies to one side.
Yes, he can refrain from getting his head in front from time to time, but that still means he’s a well-treated horse off 138 and his form still looks good.
He won off 136 at Wetherby two starts ago and he beat Sacre Coeur by seven lengths off the same mark at Sandown last season. The runner-up has won two races since and is still rated 132.
His opponents today aren’t a vintage bunch. Indiana Dream ran like a drain at Windsor last month, Sans Bruit has Aintree in mind (though he is a big danger), D J Eckleburg has risen through the handicap by 13lbs since November, Prince Quali is effectively 8lbs higher than his last winning mark, and Jetronic needs to prove his ability.
Javert Allen is a worthy favourite, but there’s no guarantee he will continue to improve.
Harper’s Brook looks like a horse who will run his race, and even with his unique characteristics, he is still a talented horse who can win.
He gets my vote.
4:10 Kempton – Bourbali @ 8/1 with William Hill (3 places) – 1pt EW
Bourbali has raced six times around Kempton Park previously, winning two of them, so this return to the right-handed track can encourage his best once again.
Of those two wins at Kempton Park, he beat Frere d’Armes off 127 and he beat First Street in a two-runner novice chase.
Furthermore, even some of his defeats at this course look like good form, notably his second off 126 over hurdles to the then-123-rated Grey Dawning in December 2022 over 2m5f on soft ground.
Over fences, he finished a fine fourth of four in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase last season, a race that produced the future Grade 1 runner-up Master Chewy, Grade 1 winner Nickle Back, and Grade 2 winner Soul Icon.
He’s never won off a mark of 129, so that is a small worry, but his last win was that success off a 2lb lower mark at Kempton in October 2024 and he was third on two occasions in the first half of the season off 130 and 131.
Ideal Des Bordes has question marks over this trip, Bad has promised to win his last 12 races, Blow Your Wad is returning from a 317-day break, and Etalon may have longer-term targets.
Therefore, Bourbali looks like a fine price as an each-way proposition.
