Fox makes plenty of Appeal in feature chase at Kempton

Fox Appeal has run his best races at Kempton and looks the answer to the 3m feature handicap chase there today (3.45) now stepped up in trip.

The Emma Lavelle trained gelding is a classy sort who has won two of his four starts at the track.

The last of those successes came in a 2m 4f graduation chase back in November where Fox Appeal found plenty on the run-in to force a dead-heat with Theatre Guide.

The eight-year-old was then let down by his jumping in the Amlin Chase at Ascot won by Al Ferof, but has since posted two solid efforts to finish runner-up to Balder Succes over 2m 5f at the venue and Rebel Rebellion in a decent 2m 6f handicap at Ascot.

Fox Appeal kept on well from off the pace in the latter to go down by just over a length, and it was an effort which suggested the step up to this afternoon’s 3m would suit.

Although Fox Appeal has been put up 3lb to 152 for that run, the son of Brian Boru ran a cracker of the same rating on this card 12 months ago when a 1 3/4 length third to Balder Succes in the Pendil Novices’ Chase.

The winner is now rated 163, and Fox Appeal finished just a short-head behind God’s Own who has gone on to land a Grade 1 at Punchestown and the valuable Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter to be now rated 160.

That is very strong form, and suggests that Fox Appeal is well-treated in this if running up to that level.
The Paul Nicholls trained Easter Day is unexposed over fences and an obvious danger if a recent fall at Cheltenham has not affected his confidence.

The seven-year-old was in contention and still travelling quite well when coming to grief three from home in a race won by Annacotty, and his current mark of 142 could well be on the lenient side judged on the gelding’s success over subsequent RSA winner O’faolins Boy at Ascot back in 2013.

Easter Day also remains open to further improvement over fences after just five starts, and his handler plunders this type of prize with regularity.