Racing tips: Fergal O’Brien’s unexposed chaser Keplerian can get off the mark at the second time of asking

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Hotel Du Nord was an 8/1 winner yesterday, landing a big gamble for the Kieran Burke yard. That horse opened up at 25/1 and won at 5/1, so congratulations to them.

The other runner of the day might as well not have turned up, the same can be said about the others in the field, apart from the front two as they were the only ones who had capable jockeys who could judge the race pace. Only two horses were involved, annoying to see, but nothing will be said by the stewards.

Huntingdon 1:30 – Drop Him In 10/1 (0.5pt ew)

As Class 5 (0-100) handicap chases go, this looks like a competitive race. I'll be taking a chance on Drop Him In who has shown very little over rules since moving to Olly Murphy's yard, but I'm hoping that a step up to 3m might bring out the improvement needed to land a race of this nature.

Since moving to Olly's yard this horse has dropped from 112 rated to 96 rated, and based on some of his PTP form, he should be very competitive off such a low mark. He has finished 3rd in a PTP behind Irish Blaze, who is trained by Gordon Elliott and is rated 120 over hurdles and 118 over fences, he was only 3L ahead of Drop Him In when they met. On his next PTP where he fell very late on in the race when booked for a runner-up finish, he was behind Hot Rod Lincoln, who is still a maiden after four attempts over hurdles, but ran well in a Class 3 race at Sandown and will be one to follow when upped to 3m. Ballykeel was in second (would've been third) and that horse is rated 124 over fences and has recorded a best RPR of 134.

Drop Him In's jumping can be sketchy, and that's not great, but if it does click, he can definitely be better than his current handicap mark. Olly Murphy does well at Huntingdon, with a 22% SR since he started training and he's partnered up with Sean Bowen (usual jockey) and he is also at a 22% SR in the last five years at this track.

I wouldn't go too heavy on this bet, but a small ew play looks worthwhile.

Huntingdon 2:30 – Keplerian 4/1 (1pt)

This is another competitive handicap chase, as the odds would suggest. I'm a firm believer that Fergal O'Brien's chasers often improve plenty for their first-time experience over fences, so I'll be having a small play on Keplerian.

He was novicey at Leicester, but for his first time over fences in public it wasn't a total surprise, and as chase debuts go with those mistakes, he made a nice impression and a lot to build on. He was keen throughout the race, so to see him tire jumping the last couple of fences wasn't a surprise at all. I think this track and drop back in trip will suit him better.

He is related to some good chasers like Moonlighter and Horatio's Hornblower, so there's definitely room for improvement off a handicap mark of 93.

Huntingdon 3:30 – Kalmoor 22/1 (0.5pt ew)

Based on the form and odds, you'd say that Kalmoor has no chance in this race, even though it's not a great standard of race. But, at 22/1 I think he is being underestimated, though he has it all to prove.

This horse has a good pedigree, his Dam is related to smart horses like Kalashnikov and Kelane, who were both trained by Amy Murphy and owned by Amy's dad, Paul. This horse has the same Sire as both of those horses, so I definitely think he is better than his current handicap mark of 101, and on handicap debut, he could spring a surprise.

He ran well on his sole bumper run a couple of years ago, finishing second and bumping into a smart Nicky Henderson horse who won his sole hurdles race and recorded an RPR of 137 but hasn't been seen since. Kalmoor ran well on hurdles debut, finishing third after a 221-day absence. The winner was rated 128 at the time, and Kalmoor finished ahead of Hidden Heroics, who has since won two hurdle races and two races over fences, now rated 135. This lad was PU on his return to the track earlier this month, but that was after 444 days off the track, so it's hardly a surprise that he needed the run. Now he's in handicaps, we might see the best of him. Amy is in good form at the moment, with Kalashnikov winning in France, as well as her 2yo winning on debut earlier last week as well.

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