Paul Kealy's play of the day at Kempton

Flegmatik
3.00 Kempton

Flegmatik has won very easily on the two occasions he has run at Kempton on ground quicker than soft, and he has surely been targeted at this race all season.

Both of his wins came in this month last season, with the second coming in the 2m4½f  handicap on this card by eight lengths (the other one was over the Coral Trophy course and distance by almost as far), and after four runs since he is now just 5lb higher.

Flegmatik probably didn't get home when pulled up in the 3m5f bet365 Gold Cup next time, but that was the third time in three tries he had run at Sandown and been below his best, and the fourth was last time out when he was only ninth of 12.

His other two runs this season have been much better, with his opening close third of 13 to Your Darling at Ascot a fine effort, while he performed with more credit than a tenth of 14 at Kempton over Christmas suggests.

He was hampered at the start that day and set off in last place, but he'd worked his way into fourth turning for home only to fail to last home in the soft ground, Harry Skelton accepting matters at the second-last and letting him come home in his own time.

He is the only one of the bottom five in the weights to be in the handicap, will love the likely pace given how many contenders there are for the lead, and if the cheekpieces sharpen up his sometimes sticky jumping, he must have a massive chance.

Flegmatik12:47 Kempton

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