Andrew’s Kempton Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle Day race by race betting tips

We have a cracking day of racing ahead of us here at Kempton, with the Grade 2 Pendil Novices’ Chase, the Grade 2 Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, and the Grade 2 Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle highlighting the card.

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Kempton 1:15 Ladbrokes ‘Big-Value You Can Bet On’ Handicap Hurdle – 2m5f (4yo+ 0-140)

It’s a tricky start to proceedings where PUNCTUATION get a tentative vote.

Formerly trained by Fergal O’Brien and now in the care of Nicky Henderson, Punctuation ran well for the first time in over a year on debut for his new yard.

This five-time hurdles winner is now only 2 lb higher than when winning at the Aintree Grand National Festival back in 2023.

Given the likelihood that he will come on for his stable debut, it is worth siding with this talented hurdler who looks well-weighted to run well.

The hat-trick-seeking Saint Anapolino has an obvious chance, while Doyen Quest can run well if rediscovering the form that saw him beat now Grade 2 winner Gowel Road at Cheltenham’s November meeting.

• Selection: Punctuation
• Danger: Doyen Quest

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Kempton 1:50 Grade 2 Ladbrokes Pendil Novices’ Chase – 2m4½f (5yo+)

The first of today’s Grade 2s sees us change code to chasing, and we have a tight-knit field to get through.

Jessica Harrington has sent over the multiple Grade 1 placed hurdler and Grade 3 winning chaser Ashdale Bob. Although he gets the utmost respect coming from those quarters, he needs to raise his game to take the prize home to Ireland.

Imperial Saint backed up a good win at Aintree on Boxing Day to run well in a premier handicap at Cheltenham on trials day. He’s up to a career-high of 145 now, but he will have to find more improvement to get the better of course specialist RUBAND.

All be it that Ruband is stepping up in trip for the first time in his career, this three-time course winner ran a huge race to chase down L’Eau du Sud in the Kingmaker at Warwick.

That run suggested that Ruband may be ready for the step up in trip, and there is no better place to try it than the course he excels at.

This will mark only his third start over fences, so you can expect to see even more improvement from Ruband.

• Selection: Ruband 9/4
• Danger: Ashdale Bob 8/1

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Kempton 2:25 Grade 2 Ladbrokes Adonis Juvenile Hurdle – 2m (4yo)

In a race that has produced Cheltenham Festival winners in the past, we have one who may end up in the Triumph Hurdle in three weeks, but it will all depend on whether he can settle.

That horse is MONDO MAN.

Having done so much wrong on debut at Ascot, this Gary Moore-trained four-year-old still managed to finish just over three lengths off the now Triumph Hurdle favourite Lulamba.

He should have learned a lot from that experience, and if he can be more tractable today, he will take the world of beating here.

Sauvignon showed good form in France, and if you can forgive him his run on debut for Paul Nicholls, he may be the one to follow Mondo Man home.

• Selection: Mondo Man 13/8
• Danger: Sauvignon 12/1

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Kempton 3:00 Grade 2 Ladbrokes Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle – 2m (4yo+)

A cracking renewal of the Ladbrokes Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle where market leader Miami Magic has a 12-length course and distance win to his name, and a 2nd place finish in the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Christmas.

He has a favourites chase here, but it can pay to side with the raw and exciting TRIPOLI FLYER.

A runner-up in the Grade 2 Aintree Bumper at the Grand National Festival, Tripoli Flyer was turned over by Jurancon on hurdles debut when given an easy time of it to take 2nd place.

He left that run behind him next time out, winning as he liked at odds of 1/14, and backed that up with another facile win at Musselburgh.

This will be his biggest test to date, but Tripoli Flyer has so much raw ability that he can put it all together and power-clear up the home straight.

If Celtic Dino can leave a below-par run behind him that saw him just under ten lengths off Miami Magic at Aintree, he could be a fly in the ointment.

• Selection: Tripoli Flyer 7/2
• Danger: Celtic Dino 5/1

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Kempton 3:35 Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase – 3m (5yo+)

There were a lot of Cheltenham Festival ante-post bets up in flames when news broke that Hayland and Lowery’s Bar were being declared for Kempton instead of their intended targets at the Cheltenham Festival.

Hayland has some taking form, no more than his second to The Jukebox Man over course and distance in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices Chase.

He has every chance of being well in here, but given that he is likely to be taken on for the lead, I will side with LOWRY’S BAR.

Last seen finishing second to Jingko Bar at Windsor (he would have won only for a bad mistake three out), Lowry’s Bar has shown grit and determination that will serve him well in a race like this.

He is a fast improver, and at his current odds, he looks like a nailed-on each-way player.

If Katate Dori can minimise his mistakes that cost him a winning chance last time, he can run a huge race at big odds.

• Selection: Lowry’s Bar 7/1 (e/w)
• Danger: Katate Dori 10/1

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Kempton 4:10 Ladbrokes ‘Get Rewarded With Ladbucks’ Handicap Chase – 2m4½f (5yo+ 0-150)

With Bourbali and Keep Running looking set to take each other on for the lead, this could set up for a closer, and as much as he hates winning, this could fall in the lap of BAD.

This six-year-old has yet to win since coming over from France, but he has been placed no less than six times in 12 UK starts.

Yes, he tends to pack it in when he gets in with a winning chance, but given that there is so much pace on, this could fall apart and Bad can finally come good.

Blow Your Wad is a three-time winner around Kempton, two of which were over this distance, and if he can avoid the pace duel, he will be bang there off a big weight.

• Selection: Bad 5/1 (e/w)
• Danger: Blow Your Wad 11/2

🐎 Bet on Bad each way with Sky Bet 🐎

Kempton 4:45 Ladbrokes ‘Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing’ Open National Hunt Flat Race – 2m (4-6yo)

We close out the card with a tough bumper.

Four of the eight runners have winning form to call upon, and the one that comes with the best piece of form is MONEYGARROW.

Having been sent off the 9/4 favourite for a listed bumper at Ascot in December, he was no match for the exciting Windbeneathmywings. Eventually, he was left 14 lengths behind the Champion Bumper hopeful.

There is no horse of that calibre here today, and if he is over that tough race, he should take a bit of beating here.

One Knights’ win on stable debut is working out well, and he looks the best of the rest.

• Selection: Moneygarrow
• Danger: One Knight

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