King Kevin
Good morning from Newmarket. We have three runners today as we bid to end a slightly disappointing week on a high.
My first representative is Perla Blanca, who goes under Sophie Smith in the amateur rider’s handicap at Newbury at 5.05. She was a winner over two miles at Doncaster in the summer, prior to having a spell of stalls trouble. She overcame that issue to run at Lingfield earlier this month, but once the race started she didn’t really get involved and trailed home well beaten. I am not sure how she will cope with a drop in trip today to a mile and a half, as she seemed so suited by a step up to staying distances earlier in the season. A fast pace in a big field might enable her to get away with it, and the race should provide valuable experience for her jockey. A return to form should see her fairly competitive, so we keep our fingers crossed.
Our other two runners are both in the 8.45 at Kempton, a mile and a half 0-85 handicap. Amlad and King Kevin are unquestionably outsiders in a competitive heat, but with both having sales dates around the corner they need to run. Amlad has been working back to form after an interrupted summer and King Kevin has finally returned to a more appropriate mark, having won five times last winter and shot up the ratings as a result. Amlad will wear a pair of cheek-pieces, to see if that might just help him concentrate a little, whilst King Kevin sports his usual blinkers. Both horses remain capable from the marks that they are on, so we just have to hope that we can get the rub of the green and one or both can outrun the odds. Shane Kelly is aboard King Kevin and Charlie Bishop is riding Amlad.