Kempton preview: Smad can put rivals in their Place

David Metcalf | November 2, 2015

Smad Place can take advantage of a big drop in class to get back to winning ways in the 2m 4f graduation chase on today’s card at Kempton (15.05).

The Alan King-trained gelding was a very smart staying hurdler who finished third in the 2012 and 2013 runnings of the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Smad Place also did well in his first season as a chaser, winning twice and finishing a neck runner-up to O’faolain’s Boy in the 2014 running of the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The seven-year-old also ran very well on seasonal reappearance last year when fifth of 19 to Many Clouds in the Hennessy at Newbury, and backed that up with a cracking second to the same rival in a valuable Grade 2 contest at Cheltenham.

Smad Place was also far from disgraced when eight of 16 to Coneygree in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and rounded off the campaign with a solid fourth to Silviniaco Conti in a Grade 1 contest at Aintree.

Those runs represent form at the highest level, and Smad Place is now pitched in against novices that are nowhere near that calibre.

Off an official rating of 155 the son of Smadoun has 10lbs and upwards in hand on his rivals, and granted a clear round this looks a golden opportunity for Smad Place to get back on the scoresheet.

Brother Tedd’s brilliant track record

In the 2m 5f handicap hurdle (14.30), Brother Tedd can defy a further rise in the weights to enhance his excellent record at the track.

The Philip Hobbs-trained gelding is 2-2 over course and distance and showed progressive form throughout last season when scoring three times.