Racecards
20:50 Kempton Park
Leonard Curtis Handicap (Class 5)
- 13 Runners
- Distance: 7f
- Going: Standard
- Surface: Polytrack
- £3,400 added
- Form 547606
- Age 6
- Weight 9-11
- Official Rating 75
- Trainer C R Dore
- Jockey L P Keniry
in touch, ridden over 2f out, kept on near finish
- Form 940-612
- Age 6
- Weight 9-11
- Official Rating 75
- Trainer Stef Higgins
- Jockey T P Queally
led over 4f out, ridden over 1f out, caught post
- Form 824222
- Age 6
- Weight 9-9
- Official Rating 73
- Trainer David Pinder
- Jockey F Sweeney
tracked leaders, ridden and weakened over 1f out
- Form 574132
- Age 5
- Weight 9-6
- Official Rating 70
- Trainer B W Duke
- Jockey Dane O'Neill
tracked leaders, chased leader over 4f out, weakened inside final furlong
- Form 010-306
- Age 6
- Weight 9-6
- Official Rating 70
- Trainer A W Carroll
- Jockey James Doyle
led, headed over 4f out, ridden 3f out, weakened over 1f out
- Form 125626
- Age 5
- Weight 9-6
- Official Rating 70
- Trainer M Blanshard
- Jockey N Callan
dwelt, held up, headway over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong
- Form 321802
- Age 4
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 69
- Trainer J A Osborne
- Jockey Sophie Doyle
raced wide tracked leaders, ridden 2f out, gradually wore down leader to lead to lead post
- Form 4-87036
- Age 5
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 68
- Trainer J Akehurst
- Jockey G Baker
went left start, chased leader, ridden 2f out, one pace final furlong
- Form 01-3841
- Age 6
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 68
- Trainer M S Tuck
- Jockey R Kennemore
chased leaders, ridden and weakened over 1f out
- Form 55747-5
- Age 4
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 68
bumped start, mid-division, weakened 3f out
- Form 48-3678
- Age 5
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 67
- Trainer M P Tregoning
- Jockey P J Dobbs
in rear, ridden and headway over 1f out, kept on, not reached leaders
- Form 9/41-07
- Age 4
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 67
- Trainer M J Attwater
- Jockey L Morris
switched right soon after start, held up, ridden and headway over 1f out, stayed on final furlong
- Form 1332-00
- Age 4
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 66
- Trainer Mat Salaman
- Jockey F Norton
raced wide, held up, ridden over 2f out, no impression
In depth
Verdict
This is a real Headache with Mambo Spirit looking held by the handicapper so we'll take a chance with ARMY OF STARS. Jamie Osborne's charge ran well to take second here last time, despite looking a difficult ride, and the amount of pace in this field should play to his strengths. He was a convincing winner off 65 here in April and remains relatively unexposed having had just seven starts. Mambo Spirit won well here two starts back but was doing so for the first time in three years and has been harshly punished for it. Not only that, the gelding was afforded a soft lead and as that looks unlikely here he's taken on along with fellow front-runner Fernando Torres, whose performances of late haven't suggested he's about to repeat a November course and distance win. Headache needs a career-best to win and might be better going left-handed so a bigger threat could be Gazboolou, who needs to improve on recent solid efforts to defy a rise for finishing second on his last all-weather start but has won off a higher mark here in the past. Todber is tried in blinkers for the first time and could improve but her pedigree suggests this seventh furlong may be her undoing while Hinton Admiral's recent successes have come in low-key plating affairs. This race isn't particularly strong but it is interesting, with narrow preference going to Army Of Stars.
Formwatch
Ilie Nastase (FR) 25-1 (9-4) Held up towards rear, headway 2f out, plugged on one pace final furlong, 6th of 14, 8l behind Clockmaker (9-8) at Kempton 1m hcp 0-85 (4) pol in Jun.
Mambo Spirit (IRE) 11-4fav (9-6) With leader, led approaching 2f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, kept on, no chance with winner, 2nd of 11, 2 1/2l behind Dr Wintringham (8-13) at Chepstow 7f hcp 0-70 (5) gd in Jun.
Gazboolou 9-2 (9-9) With leader, ridden over 1f out, led inside final furlong, headed post, 2nd of 11, shd behind Piccolo Express (8-9) at Warwick 7f hcp 0-70 (5) gd in Jun.
Headache 10-3 (9-3) Keen, chased leaders, effort on outside 2f out, soon driven to 3rd over 1f out, ran on to 2nd final 100 yards, no impression, 2nd of 6, 1 1/2l behind Piazza San Pietro (9-8) at Windsor 6f app hcp (5) gf.
Tudor Prince (IRE) 14-1 (9-7) Chased leader, led 2f out until over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 6th of 12, 7l behind Cut The Cackle (9-10) at Kempton 7f app hcp (0-70) (4yo+) (5) pol.
Copperwood 6-1 (8-9) Reared and missed break badly, took no part, virtually pulled up, last of 6, well behind Sailorman (8-11) at Chepstow 7f hcp 0-85 (4) gf.
Army of Stars (IRE) 20-1 (9-9) Took keen hold, in touch on inside, pushed along over 2f out, ridden to challenge just over 1f out, kept on, not pace of winner inside final furlong, 2nd of 12, 1 1/4l behind Cut The Cackle (9-10) at Kempton 7f app hcp (0-70) (4yo+) (5) pol.
Lodi (IRE) 9-1 (8-12) Took keen hold, held up, ridden 2f out, no impression, 6th of 8, 4l behind Cativo Cavallino (8-0) at Lingfield 7f hcp 0-80 (4) pol in Jun.
Hinton Admiral 7-1 (9-7) In touch, headway to 3rd halfway, ridden to lead inside final furlong, kept on well, won at Lingfield 7f sell stks (6) pol in Jun beating Fazbee (9-8) by 1/2l, 12 ran.
Spiritofthewest (IRE) 4-1 (8-4) Slowly into stride, soon chasing leaders, weakened halfway, 5th of 6, 9l behind Argentine (8-9) at Southwell 5f hcp 0-85 (4) fbs in Jan.
Todber 7-2fav (9-9) Held up in last pair on inside, staying on same pace when no room on rail final furlong, finished on bridle, not recover, 8th of 9, 9l behind Requisite (9-9) at Kempton 6f fll hcp 0-80 (4) pol in Jun.
First Service (IRE) 33-1 (9-6) Steadied start, held up last, headway on wide outside 2f out, driven over 1f out, no impression inside final furlong, 7th of 13, 7l behind Shamir (9-6) at Kempton 1m hcp 0-80 (4) pol in Jun.
Fernando Torres 16-1 (9-4) Towards rear, headway 2f out, staying on same pace when hampered and snatched up over 1f out, no chance after, 10th of 13, 12l behind Shamir (9-6) at Kempton 1m hcp 0-80 (4) pol in Jun.
Fadhb Ar Bith (IRE) 20-1 (8-10) Behind, headway on inside over 1f out, stayed on towards finish, 4th of 9, 1l behind Amethyst Dawn (8-8) at Beverley 7f hcp 0-80 (4) gf in Jun.