Quiz Could Be The Answer At Kempton

Milborough ran a gallant race for us in the Scottish National on Saturday. He was held up in mid division and was creeping nicely into the race about a mile from home. He was admittedly under pressure to do so, but his momentum was stopped when he was hampered at the 2nd last and instead of a top 5 finish he ended up in 7th. It was a good run though, and it would be no surprise to see him heading back for another crack next year.

Tomorrow at Kempton the ground has dried out and with no rain forecast hopefully it stays that way. Once it does remain dry there is a horse going in the 4.30, a 21f handicap hurdle, that I think will appreciate the return to a firmer racing surface. Political Quiz sneaks in off a mark of just 113 at the foot of the handicap and there is reason to believe he could be well treated off that mark.

This 6yo son of Lucarno is very lightly raced, and he has had only 6 runs during his short career. The first two of those were his best, and he was an excellent 2nd on debut in a bumper at Warwick (16f good). He was beaten just 4l and it was a promising first run. He wasn't seen again last season and he reappeared in a novice hurdle at Southwell (15.5f good) back in October. He delivered on his potential in that race, driven out to score by just over a length.

The second home that day, Marquis Of Carabas, has since gone on to run well on his next two hurdle starts, and he was just a couple of lengths behind Cloudy Dream on his next run, a horse that subsequently hacked up on his handicap debut off a mark of 122. He then went on to go close in a Grade 2 at Ayr. The winner of that race, Nuts Well, has also scored since, taking two handicap hurdles off 122 and 129.

Political Quiz didn't go on from his debut hurdle win and he has been poor on his four runs since. However, the common denominator for all those runs was the fact that there was soft in the ground description, and tomorrow will be his first opportunity in a handicap on genuine good ground After his last few runs he will be running off a mark of 113, and on the form of his win back in October that could massively underestimate him.

His pedigree suggests that this step up in trip to 21f will suit him well. His dam is a full sister to Like Minded who showed his best form at tomorrow's trip, and he was a good ground course and distance winner back in the day.  Ben Poste takes off  3lb and he is 2/26 for Symonds this season The form of the Tom Symonds yard is a slight worry so stakes should be kept to a minimum, but at odds of 25/1 Political Quiz looks worthy of an each way bet back on good ground for the first time since his debut hurdle win.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 4.30 KEMPTON-POLITICAL QUIZ E/W 25/1