The key questions surrounding all the action on track

6.40 Kempton
British Stallion Studs EBF Hyde Stakes (Listed) | 1m | 3yo+ | RUK

Will Stormy take to sand smoothly?

This fiercely competitive heat features one runner, Second Thought, who has started four times on the all-weather and won every time. For him, the question is whether he can cope with the step up in trip.

Stormy Antarctic needs to show he can be as effective on the surface as Second Thought, and also as effective as he is on turf, particularly the sort of soft turf on which he posted an easy Chantilly Listed success last month.

"You never really know until you try, but he is trained on a similar surface at home, so it shouldn't be an issue," said trainer Ed Walker, who does believe gelding Stormy Antarctic – the French outing was his first since the procedure – has helped.

"It has made a big difference," he added. "He has become easier to train and more focused. Once the dream of him becoming a stallion was over, it was the obvious move to make.

"I don't think it was much of a Listed race last time but it showed he is back on track. Hopefully he can win this race and then we can look towards finals day."

Can Accidental Agent be back on his A-game?

Eve Johnson-Houghton enjoyed a super autumn with Accidental Agent. The three-year-old collected a £112,050 handicap first prize at Ascot in October, but although he then repeated that day's 113 RPR in the Balmoral Handicap, Johnson-Houghton feels he was not at his best.

Accidental Agent bagged a £112,050 pot at Ascot in OctoberCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"He had four quick races and I think that probably told come the Balmoral, even though he ran really well." she said. "We gave him some time off and he's now good, fresh and looking a million dollars.

"I think he's a Group horse for next year, but the idea would be if we could win this he would be aimed at All-Weather Championship Finals Day."

Has the draw done for Archetype?

Wide draws can be a major hindrance at Kempton. One cursed with such a berth is Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Archetype, who has climbed many a rung in 2017 but still has quite a margin to find here on the figures.

"He has progressed throughout the year," said trainer Simon Crisford.

"He has been on the go for a long time but also hasn't been over-raced. We're keen to see how he fares here and then look to next season, when I hope we could be sitting on top of an exciting four-year-old campaign.

"However, you do need a lot of luck at Kempton and unfortunately the draw has not been kind. That is bound to make his task harder than it might otherwise have been."

Things did not go to plan for smart bumper performer Western Ryder when he made his hurdling debut at Stratford this month and trainer Warren Greatrex's heart rate is eager for a smoother passage at Chepstow (12.45).

Fifth in Cheltenham's Champion Bumper and third in Aintree's Grade 2 equivalent, the five-year-old unseated Richard Johnson early on at odds of 1-6.

"He's been fine since and it was just one of those things, a blip," said Greatrex.

"Hopefully he can leave that well behind and he is a high-class horse, but it's always nervous because we've had that blip and I don't want two. Just safe and sound and we can go from there."

Indiscretion showed precious little on her debut but certainly did next time out, springing a 100-1 shock in a Kempton median auction event, improving her RPR from 33 to 72.

She returns over the same course and distance in a similar contest but if she is to follow up for Jonathan Portman and Daniel Muscutt she will need to beat a field that includes another past Kempton winner, the Roger Charlton-trained Blue Mist.

There's no point being coy and Hexham certainly is not with its four-miler being run as the Hexham is Britain's Most Scenic Racecourse Handicap Chase.

Come the end of a marathon contest set to be staged on heavy ground, not all the runners might agree about the loveliness of Hexham.

One who surely will is Hattons Hill, given he has won his last five starts, all of them handicaps, all of them at Hexham.

Prolific winner Hattons Hill jumps the very scenic water jump at the very scenic HexhamCredit: Grossick Racing Photography 0771

"He loves Hexham and performs there better than anywhere else," said trainer Harry Hogarth.

"Some horses don't like going up and down, as you do at Hexham, but he does. I would prefer the distance of this race to be less but he's in good shape and ready for another run."