DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 21
2.55 CHEPSTOW
This season’s Lanzarote Hurdle was a very strong renewal according to the data it produced and KING OF THE LAKE, although beaten at the time when he fell, did more than enough to suggest he is worth keeping on side in the immediate future – especially back at today’s track.
Ultimately, Jeremy Scott’s inmate just lacked the pace of the winner, Iberico Lord, when attempting to keep up with the speed turning for home but he had gone well up to that point and he wouldn’t have been totally disgraced even if he had stayed upright.
As we saw with A Pai De Nom winning at Newbury the other weekend, the form looks a reliable source and prior to that respectable effort, the eight-year-old had captured a competitive handicap hurdle over today’s C&D on Welsh National day.
That victory went a long way to keeping his levels of consistency post wind surgery ticking along nicely and another solid display looks in the offing.
KING OF THE LAKE – ½ point each-way@13-2 (four places)
3.00 KEMPTON
KLUB DE REVE and Double Measure are two upwardly mobile novices, deservedly towards the fore in the market, but preference lies at the feet of the former on account of his smart speed figure he accomplished over today’s C&D last time out.
Harry Derham’s inmate had already proved he could cope with a well-run affair when runner-up to the useful Gentleman Toboot at Exeter and that solid platform he built for himself paid dividends based on the evidence of his performance at the Sunbury venue over Christmas.
Always travelling nicely in behind the solid pace 57 days ago, he exhibited a smart turn of foot from the back of the second last to pull readily clear and with connections mapping out this race ever since, the long-term plan has a fine chance of being executed.
KLUB DE REVE – 1-point each-way@4-1
3.35 KEMPTON
A race where nothing can be written off with any degree of confidence but a chance is taken on LOOKAWAY finding the requisite amount of improvement on his first attempt at three miles.
Neil King’s inmate has only had four runs over fences but his jumping is pretty sound and it needed to be in the white-hot heat of battle he encountered around today’s track last time out.
For a five-runner race, there was a bit of a burn up for the early lead and the nine-year-old, on the sharp end throughout, had every right to wave the white flag if he was that way inclined but instead, he dug deep to pull clear of Leader In The Park once Old Cowboy gave way to a tired fall two out.
Clearly a horse with a tremendous will to win on the evidence of that display, he also shaped like he would be better off going up in trip rather than dropping down, and with connections quick to nominate this race as his optimum target rather than having a nice lunch at Cheltenham, their decision to feast on easier pickings can be well rewarded.
LOOKAWAY – ½ point each-way@7-1 (four places)