Andrew Asquith of Timeform provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Sunday.
Three points of interest
Another winner for Lyons in Leopardstown Listed event?
This Listed event over a mile at Leopardstown (14:25) is a race that Ger Lyons has dominated in recent years, winning four of the last five renewals, and he appears to have laid out Power Under Me for the race.
He is a horse who goes particularly well in testing ground, so conditions will be ideal for him, and he proved at least as good as ever when winning a similar event over an extended seven furlongs at Tipperary earlier this month.
That was his fourth success at Listed level and he is probably worth marking up further for that win as he had to come quite wide in the straight, but displayed a nice turn of foot to take up the lead and was readily on top at the line.
Power Under Me has to concede weight all round but he knows how to get the job done and he represents a yard that clearly like this race.
Rubaud back to defend his crown
Paul Nicholls may not be firing on all cylinders at present, but his horses are generally running well, and he had a welcome winner at Wincanton on Thursday.
He saddled Rubaud to win this Listed race at Kempton (16:00) 12 months ago and you would imagine this has been the plan for quite some time, so he will be ready to roll.
Rubaud also has a very good record when fresh, winning on his reappearance in both 2022 and 2023, and he was a comfortable winner of this last year under similar conditions to what he’ll face on Sunday.
He was far from disgraced from a mark of 148 in the Scottish Champion Hurdle when last seen in April and he will likely have a bit too much class for these despite having to carry a penalty.
Note Murphy’s record in bumpers at Sedgefield
The ones with experience don’t set an exacting standard in this bumper (17:30) and it looks cherry-ripe for a newcomer to land the spoils.
Olly Murphy is a trainer that is in excellent form at present and Karton Plein is the only runner he sends to Sedgefield on Sunday.
Murphy has had only seven runners in bumpers during his training career, and he has a remarkable 43% strike rate at the track in this sphere. That is a stat you have to take note of and Karton Plein looks an ideal type on paper, too.
He finished runner-up on his sole start in Irish points in April and he has been found a weak-looking bumper for his Rules debut.
Alien Storm – 14:15 Kempton
Flags: Horse In Focus, Top Rated
Alien Storm had some fairly useful form over hurdles, but he proved better than ever on his first start over fences to make a winning debut in this sphere at Plumpton last month.
He was strong in the betting and looked a natural over larger obstacles, given a patient ride and impressing with his jumping, leaping into the lead three from home and clearing the second last so well he pecked on landing.
Alien Storm soon recovered and was readily on top at the finish, having more in hand than the official margin suggests, and a subsequent 8lb rise in the weights almost certainly underestimates him.
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