Nicky Henderson to star at Kempton

There is rarely good sport on offer on a Monday, but today is an exception and there is a highly interesting N.H. card at Kempton. The main event is a listed mares hurdle over 3 miles at 14.30 CET. but all eyes will be on Nicky Hendersdon´s hurdling debutant West Wizard (Barry Geraghty) in the opening novice hurdle at 13.30. The 4yo from a good German family (he is a half-brother to Quadrupa and out of a Königsstuhl mare) has only been seen in public once, when easily winning a bumper here in March, the form of which has worked out well and his reputation is such that he is already clear favourite for the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. It will be a major shock for connections if he is beaten today, with Sgt. Reckless (Mick Channon/ Dominic Elsworth), who has already shown useful form over hurdles and was also decent in bumpers, the obvious candidate for the forecast.

Henderson has fancied runners in 6 of the 7 races, with Geraghty riding in 5 of them and 3 stable entries in the conditional jockeys race at 16.40. The zteam has Ma Filleule in ther listed race, but we are not so sure about her - we pfere Highhland retreat (Harry Fry/ Noel >Fehily), who is proven over the distance and getxy 8lbs, but they can take the beginners chase at 14.00 with Bear´s Affair and possibly the handicap chases at 15.05 and 16.10 with Giorgio Quercus and Royal Boy respectively. Philip Hobbs has runners at Kempton., so it is significant that he sends his main jockey Richard Johnson to Ludlow, where he can land a double on Toowomba, (owned by pressroom colleagues) at 13.45 and Princely Player half an hour later.

The best race on a very poor card at Wolverhampton is the 2 mile handicap at 18.30, in which no fewer than 3 of the 6 runners are ex-Germans. Toughness Danon (Ian Williams/ Tony Hamilton) was once third in the German Derby, and would easily win this if in the right mood, but he is very unreliable and we prefer top-weight Noble Alan (Nicky Richards/ Graham Lee).

Kempton - betting forecast:
1. Race: Sgt Reckless - Hawaii Five Nil - Western Movie
2. Race: Dunlough Bay - Kentford Legend - Oscar Baby
3. Race: Highland Retreat - Ma Filleule - Weather Babe
4. Race: Jump City - Mentalist - Bally Legend
5. Race: Halucha - Barton Stacey - Tarvini
6. Race: Royal Boy - Turn Over Sivola - Baby Mix
7. Race: Fourth Estate - Poet - Roman Flight