Kempton preview: Double chance for in-form Fanshawe

David Metcalf | October 21, 2015

Trainer James Fanshawe does tremendously well with his runners at Kempton, and looks to hold leading claims of securing a double on this evening’s card at the Sunbury-on-Thames venue with Fly and Replenish.

The Newmarket handler has a strike rate of just under 21 per cent at the track, and has been banging in winners left, right and centre in recent weeks.

In Fly, he has a progressive filly who is unbeaten in two starts and can make light of a rise in the weights to land the hat-trick in the 1m handicap (16.25).

The well-bred daughter of Pastoral Pursuits is a half-sister to the stable’s classy Group 1 winner Seal Of Approval, and looked a smart prospect on debut at Lingfield when overcoming a slow start to finish with a rattle and win going away by a neck.

It was a most taking performance, and one which suggested Fly needed keeping firmly onside.

That view was confirmed when Fly only had to be driven out to score by 1/2 a length on handicap debut over course and distance last month off an opening mark of 70.

To me, the three-year-old scored with far more in hand than the winning margin suggests, and a 5lb rise is unlikely to be enough to stop Fly going in again.

Replenish makes his handicap debut in the 7f nursery (19.55) and can take advantage of what looks a lenient mark to open his account.

The colt shaped as if badly needing the experience on debut at Newmarket, and duly put in a much improved effort next time out when chasing home Dai Harraild in a 1m maiden at Haydock.

Replenish went down by just a length after looking the likely winner until headed deep inside the final furlong, and the pair finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of Altarsheed who has since bolted up by six lengths at Chelsmford and is now rated 85.