Saturday’s Racing Tips – Lion’s Pride can have punters roaring at Kempton

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Rizzel managed to keep the day afloat by getting a winner on Knight Templar who proved to be too well-handicapped for the others at Haydock. Hopefully, you got on later than when he was tipped up as he drifted out to 11/2.

Rizzel's other runner was desperately unlucky not to have gone much closer, but that was mainly down the ride. The apprentice jockey looked to have panicked when not finding room. He dragged Look Back Smiling wide, and then wider again, which saw the horse finishing his race in the middle of the track, giving up far too much track and also running on the worst ground. He is a horse to remain onside of when the ground is soft, and we'll get our money back on him in the future.

Vultar 12/1 EW 4 Places – Kempton 3:15

William Haggas has been a menace of late, in particular with his youngsters who are in great form. Kilt who heads the market for William Haggas is a worthy favourite on paper and he ticks most of the boxes in terms of being the most likely winner. With that said, this race still looks very competitive, and opting for an each-way angle into the race is the route I've chosen to go down.

The horse that caught my eye was the Clive Cox-trained Vultar, whose opening price of 16/1 has already been nibbled at and he is now available at 12/1 at time of writing. My selection returned from a two-month break with an eye-catching sixth in last weeks Racing League meeting at Southwell. After catching a replay of the race at Southwell I thought Vultar did well to finish as close as he did to the eventual winner. Vultar had very little cover during running and he was forced to race wide as they went around the bend. Vultar plugged on down the straight but his effort dwindled out as he appeared tired in the final couple of furlongs. I thought that was an encouraging comeback run from a two-month layoff and there is every reason to believe he should come on for the run.

Vultar has attractive course form at Kempton with form figures of 112 in his previous three outings to the track, he will require a career best to win this race but he remains a good eachway bet at 12/1 and should go well from a 1lb lower mark

Cairnzy's Tips

Master Builder 5/2 – Haydock 1:50

This is a belter of a race, and plenty come here with solid claims but the horse I liked the most was Master Builder for trainer David Menuisier who has booked jockey William Buick to take the ride.

Master Builder remains completely unexposed after only four career runs and arrives here on the back of a third-placed effort in the Melrose last time out. Master Builder was a tad unlucky in the Melrose and would have gone a lot closer if he had not had to be switched for a clear run which cost him some momentum when going for home. He did well to finish only two and a half lengths of the winner that day and although raised 3lb for that effort, I still feel he's well handicapped and can improve even further this season.

I can't comment on the form of the Melrose as not a single horse from that line up has run since but the Melrose tends to be a highly competitive affair and the field that day was filled with decent rated horse so I can only assume going forward that it will result in some next time out winners.

From the remainder in this field, I was particularly interested in Walter Hartright at the prices. He's been a losing selection for myself and Rizz recently, but I thought he shaped last time out like a horse who would appreciate this step up in trip. The booking of Ryan Moore was also an eye-catching factor.

Rizzel's Tips

Lincoln Rockstar 20/1 EW 4 Places – Haydock 2.25

It goes without saying, but today's racing looks extremely difficult, with not much really sticking out across all of the cards. My first fancy will have to prove a lot in this race at Haydock, but from the bottom of the weights, I am more than happy to have an each-way play.

Lincoln Rockstar is my first fancy for Saturday's racing and as I've just alluded to, this is a big ask for Ivan Furtado's 4-year-old as he is running from out of the handicap in a Class 2 race, which is three classes higher than what he has been running in. However, with him running up in class comes with him running from the foot of the weights. Ivan Furtado must've been looking around the jockeys who are able to do the weight as with his horse being out of the handicap he has felt the need to put a claimer on board and Rhys Elliot has gotten the call-up, which means the horse will be running off 7st 9lbs, which is ridiculously low for a flat race. This is the first time Rhys has been booked for Ivan Furtado, so that does raise questions as I'm not a fan of going for horses when the trainer doesn't opt for his usual riders or one of the best in the country who gets the spare ride. However, today's race scenario is different and I'm more than happy to take a chance on the 7lb claimer who is on board.

Lincoln Rockstar has been in tremendous form this season, winning five times since the end of May, which has seen his handicap mark fly up to 76 from 52. His wins have been in Class 6 and 5 races, which is an obvious concern, but he seems a horse who is on the climb and might be able to cope with the better horses whilst running off an extremely low weight. Last time out he wasn't positioned the best, but when getting the gap he went clear, and even when the second horse came to apply pressure he brushed him off and did it easily, pulling away at the line. The runner-up is a good benchmark for Class 4 and 5 races and has since run creditably. I think the step back up to 14f isn't an issue and might even be better for him given the way he finished off his race over a stiff track like Beverley last time out.

The jockey seems a decent 7lb claimer, I'm not expecting much as these inexperienced jockeys do get things wrong, but his claim is an obvious help and he had his first ride at Haydock on Friday, so would've had a feel for how the track rides and where to position his horse. Ivan Furtado doesn't like to send too many runners to this track, and despite him being 1/11 in the last five years, you'd still be in profit if backing every runner, and this is his first runner at the track this year, so they must be feeling optimistic.

Lion's Pride 9/4 – Kempton 2.35

Well, I'll know the damage of my Saturday selections within the space of 15 minutes as my second pick is Lion's Pride who runs shortly after Lincoln Rockstar.

It wouldn't surprise me if Lion's Pride takes a fairly decent drift in the market as punters will more than likely latch onto Hamish and Kalpana. Of those two, I'm more worried about Kalpana as she is a 3-year-old filly who gets weight from every runner in the race and is clearly progressing, but I'll stick to Lion's Pride who is finally back on the all-weather after running on turf this season, which is simply not his favourable surface.

Lion's Pride is 2/4 on the all-weather and has some very good form when running on the artificial surfaces. He battered Middle Earth last year at this track, and that horse has since gone on to be 114 rated, with two Class 1 victories next to his name. The very strong piece of form is the win over Measured Time over today's C&D, which came in November of last year. He managed to beat the odds on Godolphin runner by 2.25L and did it with ease, with Bellocio back in third, 6L behind my selection. The runner-up has since won a Group 2 at Meydan, followed up with a win in a Group 1 at the same track and has since gone to America to win another Group 1, and was second on his latest start at Saratoga in a Group 1. Not only is that piece of form very strong, but Belloccio (who is mustard at Kempton 3/6) has also won on his first flat start for Willie Mullins at Royal Ascot.

Since last year Lion's Pride made an encouraging return to the track at Kempton over 10f this time which saw him finish 3rd/5 behind horses who have since franked the form. In hindsight, that trip is probably on the short side and with 147 days off the track, it would've been a pipe opener. That run was then followed up by a few month break, but then he returned to turf at Sandown, and Goodwood, running respectably on both starts, but not showing the same level of form he had previously shown at Kempton. His RPR of 119 from his win over C&D last November is head and shoulders clear of his 109 and 108 on turf this year, so I'm expecting a return to form now back on a favourable surface.

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