December 26 / 13.20 Kempton

13.20

Good

Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (In Memory Of Nigel Clark) (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £56950
  • 3m 0f 0y
  • Class 1
  • 6 runners
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Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (In Memory Of Nigel Clark) (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

15/8 (Won)

  • Win: £2.63
  • Place: £1.50

Form: 115-11

Last run: 44 days

W: 11st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 151

Form & Verdict
French challenger; pushed subsequent Grade 1-winning hurdler Irish Point to within a length in a bumper; five wins out of six over hurdles back home included a Grade 1 and he's won both his chases at Auteuil (2m1f, very soft; 2m6f, heavy) without breaking sweat; has raced mostly left-handed and this ground will be faster than he's encountered (unraced on ground quicker than officially good to soft) but he looks very exciting.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 1

16:05 Aintree

Il Est Francais

12st 0lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Tom George

Front-runner who is well handicapped on form shown as recently as December 2024, when runner-up in the King George at Kempton (3m, good), and he'll be a thrilling sight over these fences if back on song following wind surgery; however, pulled up on his last two starts and has plenty to prove.

16/1

6th

6

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

15:20 Cheltenham

Il Est Francais

11st 10lb

J: James Reveley

T: Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm

prominent

3/1

OUR TIP

13/8

  • Place: £1.30

Form: 1163-1

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 151

Form & Verdict
Won 2m4f Grade 1 Challow Hurdle during last year's festive period; failed to justify favouritism at the spring festivals but had wind surgery prior to his successful chase debut at Newbury (2m4f, good to soft) and that was impressive in many ways; unraced over this far under rules but with his pointing background he should stay well; still unexposed and held in the highest regard by a trainer who has won this five times.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

3rd Feb 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 10y

Class 1

14:35 Sandown

Hermes Allen

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

raced in second, chased clear leader after 6th, not fluent 8th, still plenty to do 3 out, 13 lengths down when fell 2 out

11/10

2nd

2

26th Dec 2023

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 1

13:20 Kempton

Hermes Allen

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Won 2m4f Grade 1 Challow Hurdle during last year's festive period; failed to justify favouritism at the spring festivals but had wind surgery prior to his successful chase debut at Newbury (2m4f, good to soft) and that was impressive in many ways; unraced over this far under rules but with his pointing background he should stay well; still unexposed and held in the highest regard by a trainer who has won this five times.

13/8

1st

2

1st Dec 2023

Good To Soft

2m 3f 187y

Class 1

13:50 Newbury

Hermes Allen

11st 4lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Below-par favourite in Grade 1 novice hurdles at the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals but may well benefit from the subsequent wind surgery and he starts this campaign as a major prospect for novice chases; earlier progress culminated in an easy win in the Challow here (2m4f, soft; Grade 1) and that form has worked out well; point winner; leading player.

11/8

Form: 121-33 D

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 7lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 135

Form & Verdict
Best at about 3m over hurdles, so there's good reason to believe he can improve upon his two chase runs at 2m4f and 2m3f; however, even then he's likely to remain in the shadows of some of these; first time for both tongue-tie and cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

2nd May 2024

Yielding

2m 7f 110y

18:35 Punchestown

Kilbeg King

11st 2lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

prominent, not fluent 6th, pulled up quickly after 8th, looked to go wrong

20/1

11

2nd May 2024

Yielding

2m 7f 110y

18:35 Punchestown

Kilbeg King

11st 2lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

prominent, not fluent 6th, pulled up quickly after 8th, looked to go wrong

20/1

6th

6

13th Apr 2024

Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

14:30 Aintree

Kilbeg King

11st 0lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Creditable efforts in defeat in Graded novice chases this winter (3m, good/good to soft) and ran well for long way in 3m6f NH Chase at Cheltenham last month (heavy; beaten 32l); could be in the mix now back down in trip and back in a handicap, provided the removal of cheekpieces isn't an issue.

12/1

Form: 221-13

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
A similar profile to Marble Sands in that he looked good on his chase debut but had his limitations ruthlessly exposed behind Hermes Allen at Newbury (both 2m4f on good to soft); placed at best if he's lucky.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

3

25th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 214y

Class 1

15:15 Doncaster

Tightenourbelts

11st 11lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Emma Lavelle

towards rear

10/1

5th

3

25th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 214y

Class 1

15:15 Doncaster

Tightenourbelts

11st 11lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Emma Lavelle

towards rear

10/1

1st

4

18th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 171y

Class 3

12:50 Ludlow

Tightenourbelts

11st 11lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Emma Lavelle

Became rather disappointing after winning over 2m4f here 13 months ago but got himself firmly back on track when making most of the running at Exeter (3m, good) and battling on best; a 3lb rise is no hardship; chance.

2/1

Form: 11-U12 D

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 147

Form & Verdict
Didn't hang about over hurdles despite remaining unbeaten and gaining Listed honours; showed his class when defying a big weight to get off the mark over fences in an Aintree handicap (3m1f, soft) and then gave last year's Cheltenham Festival winner Stay Away Fay (now 2-2 over fences) a real fright in a Sandown Grade 2 (3m, soft) when outmuscled by a superior stayer; Kempton's sharper test promises to suit and he is not ruled out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

12th Apr 2024

Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

13:45 Aintree

Giovinco

11st 7lb

J: Stephen Mulqueen

T: Lucinda Russell

Acts on heavy ground; the only C&D winner in this field, ran well in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham (3m) most recently and represents a trainer who landed this prize two years ago; therefore has respected credentials and cannot be dismissed.

9/1

3

12th Apr 2024

Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

13:45 Aintree

Giovinco

11st 7lb

J: Stephen Mulqueen

T: Lucinda Russell

Acts on heavy ground; the only C&D winner in this field, ran well in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham (3m) most recently and represents a trainer who landed this prize two years ago; therefore has respected credentials and cannot be dismissed.

9/1

3

13th Mar 2024

Soft

3m 0f 110y

Class 1

14:10 Cheltenham

Giovinco

11st 7lb

J: Stephen Mulqueen

T: Lucinda Russell

Strong traveller who has won two small-field handicaps this season but Stay Away Fay had too much for him in 3m Sandown Grade 2 on soft ground in December; pulled up in Kauto Star at Kempton later that month on his other attempt at Graded level; playing for minor honours unless his form takes a leap forward.

20/1

Form: 156-14

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 142

Form & Verdict
Tailed off behind Hermes Allen in last season's Challow Hurdle and has 12l to find with the same horse on their recent clash in a Grade 2 novice chase at Newbury (2m4f, good to soft); will do well to even threaten a revenge and there are others to worry about.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

30

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Marble Sands

10st 5lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: David Killahena & Graeme McPherson

Negotiated these fences safely in the 2m5f Topham one year ago, albeit fading into 12th; a strong-staying display to win at Cheltenham (near 3m4f, soft; 5lb higher today) in November hints at untapped potential over long distances.

50/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £4.40
Straight Forecast £4.42
Trifecta £32.50

Selections

TOPSPEED:

Hermes Allen

SPOTLIGHT:

Il Est Francais

D Express:

Giovinco

The Star:

Giovinco

Daily Record:

Giovinco

RP RATINGS:

Il Est Francais

Telegraph:

Il Est Francais

Daily Mail:

Il Est Francais

Daily Mirror:

Il Est Francais

POSTDATA:

Hermes Allen

WEST COUNTRY:

Hermes Allen

The Times:

Hermes Allen

The Guardian:

Hermes Allen

The Sun:

Hermes Allen