Ben Linfoot previews Wednesday's action with the Nap running on the all-weather at Kempton.
Wednesday selections
HIPPOCRATIC OATH – 7.30 Kempton (NAP)
HIPPOCRATIC OATH can get the better of Beccali and Best Rate in the 1m handicap at Kempton (7.30) on Wednesday. The grey son of Zoustar improved for switching to nurseries at the backend of his two-year-old season and he is now three from four in all-weather handicaps. Another 3lb nudge up the weights shouldn’t stop him from making another bold bid and in a small field off a likely ordinary gallop he can be well positioned towards the front end under Sean Levey.
SAWPIT SIENNA – 3.15 Taunton
If Taunton beats the big freeze SAWPIT SIENNA could well win the Saturday Meeting 18th January Mares’ Handicap Hurdle for the third year running. Samuel Drinkwater’s mare normally takes a few runs to find her groove but she’s usually firing on all cylinders by Taunton in January. She’s had two runs to put her straight and after winning this race off marks of 84 and 85 the last two years her claims are clear off 83 with Freddie Mitchell taking a further 5lb off.
BEATTIE IS BACK – 3.33 Newcastle
Richard Fahey has given BEATTIE IS BACK four weeks off but he could return to Newcastle with a bang in the Boost Your Acca At BetMGM Handicap over seven furlongs. The son of Mayson has put in the best runs of his career over this course and distance and he has the gears to cope with a muddling gallop – a scenario that’s not out of the question here with a distinct lack of early pace on paper. Either way he can have a major say in this company from a perch of 77 judging by his last two runs.
It's been a rollercoaster ride if you've followed CAMERA SHY since debuting last May as the son of Kodiac won at Newmarket that day, defying odds of 14/1 to beat a horse now rated 81, before an odds-on flop when sent for an Italian Group 3 the following month.
He was subsequently gelded and spent four months on the sidelines but his early-November comeback run was much more respectable as he only went down half a length in third having been prominent throughout.
Camera Shy was giving the two who finished ahead of him 4lb and, on balance, looks to have been allotted a workable opening mark of 79. Further improvement seems likely and Lingfield's sharp circuit could really suit this free-going sort.
BOASTY - 8.30 Chelmsford
BOASTY is clearly no star but has won three times around Chelmsford in the past, and his two most recent career victories (here and at Wolverhampton) have been achieved from marks of 67 and 69. So he's got to be worth a second look having been dropped back to 67 following a tailed-off reappearance run at Southwell, where he just didn't seem to take to the place at all.
The usual visor replaces the cheekpieces (tried for the first time by current connections) from Southwell and, more importantly, he looks to have a promising set-up with this quite small field and no other obvious front-runner in the race.
Want to know more about horse welfare within our sport?
2025 winners
- Jimmy Knocker 13/2
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
