Chandrayaan Looks Set For Good Run At Kempton

What a frustrating day Sunday was for the blog. There was 16 runners due to go to post for the 2.30, which would have meant 4 places for each way money. However, sod's law came into play and with the withdrawal of Grecian Tiger only 15 ran and Fine Theatre, of course, finished 4th and just out of the money. If anyone backed him in a Paddy Power shop they paid four places (in Ireland anyway) but for everyone else it was a loser, unfortunately.

Tomorrow sees national hunt action at Plumpton but with Storm Henry on the way I wouldn't be holding my breath on it going ahead. It is low quality fare in any case, and I hadn't planned on putting up a selection until I got a horse tracker alert about a John Long inmate that is running in the opener at Kempton.

This 9yo is admittedly no superstar, and he was very well beaten on his last run in a class 6 handicap over 7f at this track. However, he caught my eye on his penultimate run at Lingfield, again over 7f in a class 7, when he stayed on eyecatchingly in the closing stages under Rob Havlin, who gave him way too much to do. That run suggested he was ready to step back up to a mile, the distance at which his last win came, and he gets the step up in trip tomorrow.

Two of his wins have come under a lady jockey (Kirsty Milzcarek) and Long has turned to Shelley Birkett, who also takes off a valuable 3lb and she has also ridden a winner for the yard before. He has an excellent draw in stall 2 and everything looks right for him to run a big race tomorrow. His overall record of 3 wins from 61 starts means that he isn't one to have the monthly mortgage payment on, but at his current odds of 18/1 he looks worth a couple of quid each way in a race that won't take much winning.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 2.15 KEMPTON-CHANDRAAYAN E/W 18/1