Can Bourbali make race-fitness count? Analysis and key quotes for the feature handicap chase at Kempton

Doddiethegreat: makes his first appearance over fences at Kempton on MondayCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Four of the seven runners are returning from absences of 220 days or more and a mature betting market is likely to prove highly informative.

Bourbali will lack nothing in race-fitness, having made all to win here on his reappearance last month.

The longer trip won’t faze the Joe Tizzard-trained chaser, who boasts Kempton form figures of 21431.

He is unlikely to enjoy an uncontested lead this time, with The Edgar Wallace in opposition, but a 4lb rise looks fair and he hails from a stable in terrific form.

Thelasthighking also enjoys racing at Kempton. His placed efforts behind Corrigeen Rock and Our Jet read well, and the handicapper granted him some welcome respite following his Newbury fourth by dropping him 3lb. He looks a key player too.

There is little doubt the Nicky Henderson-trained Doddiethegreat boasts an abundance of natural ability but he has been restricted to just eight runs in four years.

The eight-year-old, winner of his first four starts, switches to fences off a mark of 131 and it is unlikely connections believe that to be his ceiling.

The Edgar Wallace enjoyed a profitable spell at around this time last year, landing handicap chases at Wetherby and Leicester off marks of 123 and 130.

Now rated 135, he probably needs a career-best performance to win on his seasonal debut and trainer Kim Bailey equips him with cheekpieces for the first time.

The talented and unexposed Doctor Ken hasn’t been seen on a racecourse for 616 days.
Analysis by Richard Birch

Ground and weather

The ground was described as good to soft on Sunday and clerk of the course Brian Clifford said: "We're forecast heavy rain tonight, we could get anything up to 10mm, and if we got that we'd probably end up good to soft, soft in places."

What they say

Kim Bailey, trainer of The Edgar Wallace
Two miles four furlongs around there should be ideal. The cheekpieces are on because on a couple of his last runs he's got close to winning and probably not quite gone through with it. It could make a difference.

Olly Murphy, trainer of Doctor Ken
I hope there isn't too much rain. He's been off a long time and whatever he does he'll come on for the run.

Joe Tizzard, trainer of Bourbali
He loves the track and has done really well there. He won nicely last time and we saw this race and thought we'd wait an extra week or so and go for it. He's not the biggest, but he's pretty versatile regarding ground.

Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Thelasthighking
We're optimistic. The track and trip suit him well, and Kempton's ground is never as soft as anywhere else.

Alan King, trainer of Es Perfecto
He didn't win in his first season over fences but ran really solid races and bumped into some good horses. He's going down the handicap route and I'd like to think he can win chases this term.
Reporting by David Carr

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