Kempton Placepot tips: Paul Kealy's perm for the £150,000 guaranteed pool

A 15-runner race is just about the worst to kick off a Placepot as there are only three places to go for, but that's what we've got for the opener at Kempton (1.15).

Fortunately it looks a fairly ordinary contest, and two of the lightly raced contenders, Joker De Mai and Sea Invasion, are readily preferred.

Joker De Mai clearly loves the mud, while Sea Invasion is all but guaranteed to improve for a step up in trip on his handicap debut and is with a trainer with a good record here.

Only six go in the second (1.50), but Kalif Du Berlais, bought with a future Gold Cup challenge in mind according to Paul Nicholls, won really well on his British hurdles debut, and should at least make the first two.

Tahmuras, a Tolworth Hurdle winner on bad ground last season, and Le Patron, much better than he showed when well beaten on good ground at Sandown last time, are the two to go for in the third leg (2.27).

The fourth leg (3.00) looks a race to take a chance in, and I'll be going against the market with Panjari, who won so well at Musselburgh last time, and Helnwein, who was as good as any of these in bumpers and will have more to come as a hurdler.

My three in the big handicap (3.37) are Bowtogreatness, Unanswered Prayers and Sam Brown, and that just leaves an eight-runner handicap chase to deal with (4.10).

Champagne Mystery is the main fancy as he was a big eyecatcher in a much better race at Cheltenham last time, while Gustavian ought to run well coming back in trip on ground he handles.

Kempton Placepot perm

1.15
8 Joker De Mai
15 Sea Invasion

1.50
1 Kalif Du Berlais

2.27
1 Le Patron
5 Tahmuras

3.00
1 Panjari
4 Helnwein

3.37
1 Sam Brown
8 Bowtogreatness
11 Unanswered Prayers

4.10
5 Gustavian
8 Champagne Mystery

2x1x2x2x3x2 = 48 lines

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