Andrew Asquith has looked through the card at Kempton this evening and has picked out two bets.
All-Weather Angle Racing tips: Wednesday January 8
1pt win First Company in the 6.30 Kempton at 16/1 (General)
1pt win Saturnalia in the 7.00 Kempton at 6/1 (William Hill, 11/2 Bet365, Sky Bet, Ladbrokes, Coral)
One of the best performances on the all-weather over the Christmas period came from Royal Champion, who won the Listed BetUK Quebec Stakes over a mile and a quarter at Lingfield on New Year’s Eve.
Royal Champion developed into a very smart performer for Roger Varian between 2020 and 2023, notably winning the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot and also finishing runner-up in the Canadian International.
His short spell in Australia didn’t work out, but he proved he still has plenty left to offer when making a winning start for Karl Burke. Royal Champion is a force to be reckoned with at Listed level and he proved much superior to his rivals, travelling strongly throughout and produced to lead two furlongs out, beating smart Tyrrhenian Sea, who had won the race 12 months earlier, by one and three quarter lengths.
That was his all-weather debut and he is clearly just as effective on a synthetic surface. The Winter Derby, which will be run at Southwell for the second year running next month, is reportedly under consideration, and he will have no problem staying the extra two furlongs – he’s out of a smart mare who won over a mile and a half. The switch back to a more galloping track will also suit Royal Champion and he will be the one they all have to beat if taking his chance, or wherever he’s goes next if kept to the all-weather.
On the same card, Kylian continued his resurgence for Archie Watson, recording another win on the all-weather in a five-furlong handicap. He is building an excellent record on the all-weather with form figures of 1121 and judged by his latest success he could yet have even more to offer.
He produced a career-best effort on that occasion, showcasing plenty of natural speed and also displaying a willing attitude in the closing stages to hold off a well-handicapped, working his way back to form rival. Kylian is already a winning at Listed level and could return to that company in the Hever Sprint at Southwell on the same card as the Winter Derby.
Kylian’s sole defeat on the all-weather came at Southwell, but he lost little in defeat that day, beaten only by smart Equilateral who, admittedly, is well into the veteran stage of his career, but still possesses a fair bit of class in handicaps, and he had fallen to an attractive mark. There should still be more to come from Kylian now he’s found a spark again and he’s another who will remain of interest on an artificial surface.
Some thoughts on Kempton this evening
There are some interesting handicaps at Kempton this evening and FIRST COMPANY is a horse I think can go well in the Free Bets With Unibet’s Betbuilder Rebound Handicap at a double-figure price.
He goes particularly well at this track – he’s a three-time course-and-distance winner – and there is reason to believe he can bounce back from a poor run at Southwell last time returned to this venue.
First Company has been very easy to back on his last two starts, running no sort of race last time, but his previous form gives him a shout in this field, and he also ran a cracker when runner-up to an unexposed all-weather performer who returned to form to take advantage of a tumbling mark under this rider two starts back.
The main angle with him is he may be able to get an easy lead, with not much pace in this race on paper, and he made all of the running to score over this course and distance in November.
That came from a 5lb lower mark, and is a lesser grade of handicap, but he represents a yard that are going along nicely at present, and he has been given a month to freshen up after his latest below-par effort. Hopefully, he can break well and get to the head of affairs and, if his 7-lb claimer can dictate the fractions, his allowance should make him competitive in an open sprint handicap.
The Try Unibet’s New Smartview Racecards Handicap also has an open look to it, but SATURNALIA caught my eye at Lingfield last time, and I want to keep him on side moving forward.
He was a two-time winner on the all-weather (at Wolverhampton and Lingfield) for Richard Hughes and has generally contested more competitive handicaps than this throughout his career.
Saturnalia has had just the three starts for Stan Moore, all of them at Lingfield, and the first two over a mile and a quarter. You can’t say he didn’t stay the longer trip on his debut for this yard in November, but that was a slowly-run race where he also met trouble in running.
He was too free on his next start, and weakened inside the final furlong, leaving the impression he didn’t quite get home, so it was no surprise he was back over a mile last time.
Saturnalia travelled very well on that occasion, moving through his race like a well-handicapped horse, still on the bridle entering the straight but hemmed in and having nowhere to go.
As is usually the case at Lingfield, the principals made their move down the outside, building up a head of steam while Saturnalia had to sit and suffer, and when he was in the clear it was too late and Luke Morris looked after him in the closing stages.
This is a bigger field, but doesn’t look anymore competitive, and more rivals and the longer straight at Kempton should help him given his strong-travelling style. He was well supported in the overnight markets, but has drifted out to an acceptable price this morning, and I’m expecting him to prove a little too classy for these rivals on his first try in a 0-70 handicap.
I was also hoping to put up Jack McNamara is the closing Unibet Zero% Mission Handicap, but he has halved in price through the night, which isn’t a surprise to me given his profile.
He ran to a fairly useful level on his second run in Ireland before being purchased for 87,000 guineas by current connections, and he was well backed when runner-up to an above-average type in a mile and a half maiden at Wolverhampton on his first start for Simon Pearce last month.
His pedigree strongly points to him progressing further now moving up to two miles on his handicap debut – plenty of stamina on the dam’s side of his pedigree – and an opening mark of 78 looks workable.
Jack McNamara should launch a bold bid, but I would also keep an eye on The Craftymaster, who was prolific on the all-weather last year, and appears to be working his way back to fitness. He is now back down to his last winning mark and Tony Carroll remains in flying form, but he’s been notably easy to back ahead of this race, which is a slight concern.
Preview posted at 0900 GMT on 08/01/2025
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