Kempton Park best bet: Emailandy can progress further on handicap debut
Kempton racecourse
Our friends at Tipstrr have dragged themselves away from their cold turkey sandwiches to offer us their most popular pick from the last race on Kempton’s Boxing Day card.
15:40 Kempton: Ladbrokes Get Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle (2 miles 5 furlongs)
The morning withdrawal of three contenders has brought the field down to just seven starters, which reduces the each-way options considerably, although Mahons Glory and Kitty’s Light still attracted enough attention to suggest they might outrun their double-digit price.
Mark Of Gold and Artistic Endeavour could also have a say as the race unfolds, but the final run-in looks likely to be contested between the two market leaders, Emailandy and Will Carver.
Planet Sport Bet: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if Will Carver wins the race, get a £5 Free Bet
A course-distance maiden win was the first leg of a two-timer in 2021, but Will Carver has only been seen twice since, reappearing over this trip in February this year to come third of nine, before another nine-month break ended with a winning return in a lower-graded six-runner handicap at Taunton.
Nicky Henderson has a good recent record in this race, and if Nico de Boinville can get a good clear round out of the eight-year-old, then he clearly has the credentials to keep that momentum going.
Catching the eye even more, however, is the promising five-year-old, Emailandy, who looks to be the kind of progressive gelding that Paul Nicholls can convert into a more-than-useful hurdler.
He finished last season with a promising third-of-nine bumper outing at Exeter, before taking nicely to obstacles when finishing almost ten lengths clear of the nearest of his 10 rivals on his season and hurdle debut in November.
READ MORE: Harry Cobden assesses his Boxing Day prospects in his Planet Sport Bet blog
The way he powered away at the line that day suggested he had plenty more in the tank, and his running was no less impressive when finishing a two-length third of 12 in stronger company at Newbury 24 days ago.
Harry Cobden was on board that day and he returns to the saddle here as the in-form yard looks to maximise Emailandy’s potential with a quick switch to handicapping under what appears to be a reasonable debut mark of 127.
- Suggested bet: Emailandy in the 15:40 at Kempton
- Tip advised by Top Rated Jumps on Tipstrr
READ MORE: Boxing Day ITV racing tips: Best bets for Kempton, Aintree and Wetherby on December 26
