Sam King is back with two selections on Friday…
Maljoom should have too much class for his rivals in the Listed Tandridge Stakes at Lingfield this afternoon and I'll be watching with keen interest as he attempts to set up a bid at the Dubai Turf in Meydan next month.
William Haggas' charge is hardly the type of horse you'd make banker material at short odds though and there appear to be better wagering opportunities on the card.
The five-furlong staged at 2.02 looks like a tightly knit affair, with plenty seemingly holding sound claims on the form book. The eventual outcome may be decided by the manner in which this race is run and with the likes of Counsel, Recon Mission and Gogo Yubari all likely to want to force the pace, it could set up nicely for a closer.
Hold-up performers in this six-run affair are tough to come by, but there's no doubt Diamond Dreamer will be avoiding the early burnup. Patrick Chamings' dual course and distance winner put a below-par effort behind him when a fairly eye-catching third here sixteen days ago, running on late in the closing stages having been short of room in the home straight.
A current mark of 69 is only 3lb higher than when David Probert, who retains the partnership today, expertly guided him to victory over track and trip last August, and with plenty of cover likely from stall two, he should be firmly involved at the business end.
1pt Win – Diamond Dreamer
Odds – 11/2
Kempton hosts a competitive card for National Hunt fans, with the extended two-and-a-half-mile Class 3 handicap chase a particularly interesting affair.
Flegmatik makes obvious appeal in the first-time blinkers, as does Issar d'Airy and El Rio, but I'm happy to take a chance on the bigger-priced Triple Trade, who can be excused a disappointing performance on ground that was likely to testing at Ffos Las last time out.
Joe Tizzard's smart chaser shaped nicely when only beaten twelve lengths behind the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase-bound Libberty Hunter at Cheltenham in December and there's little doubt that the extended two miles there would have been on the sharp side for him.
A previous course winner back in April 2023, he's now 11lb lower than his last winning mark and will surely be coming good sooner rather than later.
1pt Each-way Triple Trade
Odds – 8/1
