'He has a big chance' - key quotes for Kempton's London Stayers' Series Final

Wednesday: 8.00 Kempton
Unibet London Stayers' Series (Final) Handicap | 2m | 3yo+ | RTV

Charlie Appleby has trained more winners at Kempton than at any other all-weather track in Britain in the last five seasons, and only Newmarket's Rowley Mile course beats the Sunbury venue in terms of victories for the trainer in that period.

The Appleby-trained Bandinelli appears to have been prepared with this final in mind as he was off for the majority of the summer after finishing sixth in the Northumberland Plate, and made his return in a qualifier here only last month.

The market came for him in a big way that day and he went off 6-4 favourite, but a lacklustre display followed and he trailed home ten lengths behind the winner Rainbow Dreamer in sixth.

Bandinelli is better than that, but it was a disappointing display and he has plenty to prove on the back of it.

Rainbow Dreamer is back three weeks after that success and will aim to roll back the years again. He will be ten in just a few weeks, but is just 3lb higher than for that last win and is evidently in fine form.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

What they say

Heather Main, trainer of Island Brave
He ran a really good race in second in the qualifier when he hadn't run for a bit, so he's fit and ready. He's better off at the weights with Rainbow Dreamer this time.

Alan King, trainer of Rainbow Dreamer
He won well at the track last month and we know it's a course he likes. We've kept him fresh since so hopefully the old boy can do himself justice again.

Harry Charlton, joint-trainer of Withhold and Imperium
Withhold enjoyed his return to the all-weather last time, where he wasn't suited by the way the the race was run but ran with great credit. Imperium ran a nice race after a break. He wasn't suited by the slow pace either and stayed on well. He loves Kempton and hopefully can go well.

Richard Hughes, trainer of Bascule
We’ll put the blinkers on and think he may find another length or two. It’s a massive prize and he’s been training for this. He has a big chance and the draw in stall two helps.

Dominic Ffrench Davis, trainer of Sashenka
She ran a week ago and has a 5lb pull with Duty Of Care, although the winner scored quite cosily – I don't know whether that's going to be enough. It was nice to pick up a bit of prize-money and qualify for the final so we thought we'd better go for it.
Reporting by Charlie Huggins

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