Kempton Preview: Threetimesalady ticks all the right boxes

Threetimesalady bounced back to her best last time out and looks the answer to the 6f handicap at Kempton this evening (8.30) now stepped back up in trip and eased in grade.

The Sir Mark Prescott trained filly stayed on well to finish a never nearer 1/4 length third to Royal Birth in a class 4 contest over 5f at Bath after being slowly away, leaving the distinct impression she would have gone very close with a level break.

The step back up to 6f, over which Threeetimesalady ha notched bother her career successes, looks sure to suit judged on that effort and she is able to race in this lower grade class 5 affair off an unchanged mark of 74.

That gives the daughter of Royal Applause verey chance from a handicapping perspective, and she is now just 4lb higher than when last successful and 11lb lower than at the start of this campaign.

Threetimesalady has also bagged a great draw in stall 1, and with the stable in decent nick and Luke Morris in the saddle, the three-year-old looks the one they all have to beat.

In the 1m handicap (6.30), Blackthorn Stick is very interesting now reunited with jockey Tom Queally.

Queally was onaboard when the John Butler trained gelding landed a gamble on seasonal reappearance at Wolverhampton back in January off a mark of 57, but has not been in the saddle in five subsequent starts.

His booking suggests thet Blackthorn Stick’s shrewd connections means business, and the five-year-old is now back on a mark from which he should be very competitive.

The son of Elusive City is now just 3lb higher than when last successful, and drops down into class 6 company after shaping as if needing the run on return to action over course and distance 14 days ago after 194 days on the sidelines.

Goodwood Storm opened her account in good style last time out and can follow-up in the 6f handicap that closes proceedings (9.00).

The filly came good at the ninth time of asking when landing a 6f maiden at Yarmouth in facile fashion by five lengths, and that win will have done her confidence the world of good.