3:10 – Kempton – PERTEMPS NETWORK HANDICAP CHASE (CLASS 3) (4yo+ 0-135) Good 2m4f110y
Alan King’s Barbury Castle yard is starting to come into form with 5 winners from 26 runners in the past 7 days. Midnight Appeal could well add to the list of winners running in a competitive Class 3 Handicap Chase at Kempton this afternoon.
Midnight Appeal has taken a classic route into Chasing. He made his racecourse debut at Bangor-on-Dee in April 2009 running in a National Hunt flat race at the age of 4. He ran twice in bumpers finishing 3rd on his debut. He was then put over hurdles and ran in four Novices’ events and one Handicap without ever getting into the places.
He made his Chasing debut at Huntingdon in February this year and the transformation in his form was marked. From hurdling off an Official Rating of just 100 he jumped really well and took command at the final fence and although he idled when he hit the front was able to win by 1 ¼ lengths. He ran twice more in Novice company and once in a Handicap, winning every time before being put away for the season.
He made his seasonal reappearance at Sandown on 5 November finishing 2nd by 4 lengths after hitting a flat spot down the back straight indicating that he was probably in need of the run.
The going at Kempton is Good and Midnight Appeal has run in Good ground three times, winning twice and being placed 3rd on the other occasion. He is also very proficient over today’s trip winning three times and finishing 2nd once on his four runs over the distance.
He has not run at Kempton before but he has won on right-handed courses. Wins at Bangor, Huntingdon and Newton Abbot show that he goes well on a flat course and the stiff fences at Kempton should not be an issue as he has successful jumped round Bangor and Huntingdon, both of which provide a similar test of jumping.
He is ridden by Robert Thornton and Choc has ridden him on six occasions winning three times. He was also in the plate for his seasonal reappearance earlier this month.
The field size of 6 runners today also favours Midnight Appeal who has won on all three occasions when he has run in fields of 3 to 7 runners.
His Sandown run should have put Midnight Appeal spot-on for today’s race and although he is up against some seasoned Handicappers today he does have plenty of scope and talent to make a big impression in the Handicap ranks going forward and should be a big player today.
