Racing Post Chase at Kempton

The Racing Post Chase, a valuable 3 mile handicap run today at 16.10 CET, is one of Kempton´s top races of the year and has attracted a very strong field today with 20 runners, almost all of whom can be given a chance. Clear favourite however is Big Fella Thanks (Paul Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh), an impressive winner at Doncaster last time. However he has been raised 13 lbs for that win, and it will be by no means easy to confirm that form with runner-up Ungaro (Keith Reveley/ Jamie Moore) or for that matter 5th-placed Laskari (Paul Webber/ Dominic Elsworth). Tony McCoy´s mount Nacarat, trained by Tom George, was also an easy winner last time and comes into the reckoning, while Philps Hobbs and Richard Johnson have an excelkent record here and their hope Lacdoudal is also respected, while the two bottom-weights Fier Normand (Jonjo O´Neill/ Richard McLernon) and Hold´Em (Keith Goldsworthy/ Rhys Flint) -both with good claimers aboard- is two others with chances. Several trainers have more than one entry, which further complicates the issue. Apart from Paul Nicholls´ four, Nicky Henderson, Henry Daly and Nigel Twiston-Davis have two runners each; jockey bookings suggest that Fleet Street (Barry Geraghty), Possol (Mark Bradburne) and Battlecry (Paddy Brennan) respectively are their main hopes. Obviously Big Fella Thanks, also strongly fancied for the Grand National, can win this, but in our opinion he is at a false price because of his top-class connections and the fact that owner Harry Findlay has apparently backed him heavily.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Thundering Star - Honest John - I Have Dreamed
2. Race: Ainama - Conflictofinterest - Dee Ee Williams
3. Race: Herecomesthetruth - Ouzbeck - Au Courant
4. Race: Big Fella Thanks - Hold Em - Nacarat
5. Race: Helium - Excape - Hebridean
6. Race: Pop Ahead - Le Burf - Soulard
7. Race: Bellvano - King`S Legacy - Ballybach