KEMPTON SATURDAY:

15:00 SKY BET DOVECOTE NOVICES’ HURDLE (GRADE 2) 2M

All eyes will be on the much-vaunted Angels Breath, who created a big impression when winning the Grade 2 Kennel Gate Hurdle at Ascot in December on his Rules debut, for all the windy conditions meant that only half of the hurdles were jumped that day.

He has been a leading fancy for the Supreme Novices’ hurdle since that win, but a lack of racecourse action since is a concern, with the Supreme usually requiring its winners to be streetwise as well as talented. This run will help him in that regard, but I’d be in no hurray to back him for that race or indeed this given his profile. I fancy that Scarlet Dragon could give him plenty to think about having retained his novice status after finishing second to the classy Global Citizen in this race 12 months ago.

A smart and progressive performer on the flat for Eve Johnson-Houghton, Scarlet Dragon ran a cracking race on his hurdles debut here last year, and can be forgiven for failing to come up to speed in the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree next time. Since then he has been placed in the St Simon Stakes on the flat and has looked as good as ever in that sphere despite often running in races which have not shown him off to best effect.

He won very easily on his return to hurdles at Huntingdon (Daphne du Clos unplaced when favourite), and while those immediately behind Angels Breath have failed to frank that effort by winning subsequently, two of the three horses beaten by Scarlet Dragon at Huntingdon have won since to add weight to his effort.

He is ideally suited by a test of speed over hurdles, whereas point winner Angels Breath, while clearly an exciting prospect, looks sure to stay much further than two miles when needed. In fact, I’d not be surprised to see him end up in the Ballymore if his Cheltenham dream remains alive after the weekend.

15:35 888SPORT HANDICAP CHASE (GRADE 3) 3M

Perhaps there is a shortage of horses capable of racing regularly over fences on good ground, but this does seem a disappointing turnout in terms of numbers for a race worth £100,000. One thing you can normally be sure of in this contest is a strong gallop, but with a smallish field and a lack of obvious pace, that may not be the case, and it won’t play to the strengths of the thorough stayers in the field. Paul Nicholls is in tremendous form at present, but even his purple patch is unlikely to see the one-dimensional Adrien du Pont defy a mark of 151.

The course and distance he won over Christmas looked a poor one for the money, and nothing the beaten horses have achieved since would alter that view, so he looks poor value as second favourite. Modus looks a very unlikely stayer at this trip and Romain de Senam is back up in the weights for winning an uncompetitive race at Taunton, although he’s arguably the best value of the Nicholls trio.

Glen Rocco has had this on his agenda for some time after winning a C&D handicap last month, and will be popular with punters given his progressive profile, but the handicapper has murdered him for beating a bunch who generally didn’t fire last time, and if anything he looked like he would appreciate and even stiffer test. He retains potential for better as his stamina is tested, but I think he will need to improve a fair bit to defy his mark in this company.

I much prefer the look of Talkischeap, who has been keeping better company and probably didn’t get the credit he deserved when beaten by the exciting On the Blind Side here last month. The winner looked top-class as a novice hurdle before a setback ruled him out of Cheltenham last season, and he ended up beating White Moon much further that OK Corral did at Warwick.

Talkischeap was conceding 6lbs to the winner that day and would have been much closer but for a last-fence mistake. That was no flash in the pan either, as he split La Bague Au Roi and Lostintranslation in a Grade 2 at Newbury in November. The third is as short as 5/1 to win the JLT at Cheltenham last month, and Talkischeap has a much easier task here, so I’m not sure why he’s only third best in the market.

16:10 888SPORT BET £10 GET £30 HANDICAP CHASE 2M 4F 110Y

Another Crick did us a favour when winning at Newbury in December, and the handicapper has not been harsh in raising the improving six-year-old 7lbs for that win over Early du Lemo, in which the others well beaten. The time of the contest also points to it being useful form, and his rivals look exposed and/or poorly handicapped by comparison. It’s intriguing that his trainer, Noel Williams, recently entered him in the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, and that in itself shows the regard in which he’s held at the Williams yard.

NEWCASTLE SATURDAY

14:40 VERTEM EIDER HANDICAP CHASE 4M 122Y

I’m tempted by Vicente, given his record on a sound surface at around this trip, and while the going is reported as good to soft with soft places, Clerk of The Course James Armstrong has stated that it will dry out given the forecast, and I’d not think we will be too far from good ground come race time. Unfortunately, that eventuality has been spotted by others, and the Paul Nicholls-trained runner is at the top of the market.

Good ground is an unknown for the unexposed Just Your Type, but I’m hopeful that he will handle it fine at the first try, as most horses do, and he is definitely well handicapped. Tried in Grade 2 company as a novice hurdler, he is clearly held in some regard, and was the winner of his only start between the flags before joining Charlie Longsdon.

He made his debut over fences in a very warm race for the track at Ffos Las behind Albert Bartlett winner Kilbricken Storm, finishing ahead of subsequent winners in fourth, and was then fifth at Newbury where a couple of mistakes spoiled his chance. He jumped much better for most of the way at Exeter last time, and was set to hand a beating to Samuel Jackson when falling at the second last.

That would have been a career best had he stood up, and the handicapper has kept him on the same mark. He looks like a horse who will stay all day, so the marathon trip is expected to suit, and if he can avoid errors, he’s handicapped to win.

RECOMMENDED

SCARLET DRAGON 15:00 Kempton – 1pt win @ 4/1 (Bet365)

TALKISCHEAP 15:35 Kempton – 2pts win @ 5/1 (Paddy Power, Boyles)

ANOTHER CRICK 16:10 Kempton – 2pts win @ best available

JUST YOUR TYPE 14:40 Newcastle – 1pt win @ 10/1 (Bet365)