Musselburgh and Kempton previews: Oil Burner hot stuff

The George Bewley trained 12-year-old was last successful over 2m 5f at Kelso back in March 2015 when holding on gamely to score by 1/2 a length off a mark of 112.

Hunters Belt got put up to 116 after that victory and failed to trouble the judge in his next nine starts.

However, the gelding has hit the frame in two of his last three outings and his mark has continued to fall.

Hunters Belt is now able to race in this off just 100, 12lb lower than when last successful and his lowest hurdles rating ever.

It gives Hunters Belt a big shout from a handicapping perspective, especially with his young rider taking another 5lb off his back.

Selections

13.40: Oil Burner (NAP)
14.15: Impulsive American
14.50: Oscar Lateen
15.25: Hunters Belt (NB)
16.00: Teo Vivo
16.35: Fredo
17.05: Selkirk’s Island

Course specialist Chetan can collect at Kempton

Chetan has returned to form with a vengeance and can further enhance his excellent record at Kempton with victory in the 7f handicap there this evening (19.50).

The Charlie Wallis trained gelding is a three-time course and distance winner, and has also been placed on four occasions in 10 starts at the venue.

In in the last of those successes in January, Chetan posted a career-best effort to beat Gold Beau by 1 1/4 lengths.

Chetan found himself short of room two from home when trying to make a move, but when he did see daylight stayed on strongly in the hands of Luke Morris to win going away at the line.

Given how the race panned out the four-year-old was value for a bit more than the winning margin, and Chetan backed that up with a cracking 1/2 length second to Nasri over course and distance last time out under a 4lb penalty.

The son of Alred Noble now meets the winner on 2lb better terms, and that should be enough to see Chetan reverse the tables and get back to winning ways.

Zed Candy Girl poised to go one better

Zed Candy Girl ran a stormer last time out when runner-up after encountering trouble in running and can go one better to gain a deserved success in the 1m handicap (20.30).

The Mark Loughnane trained mare is on a losing run of 16, having not won since scoring at Wolverhampton last June off a mark of 62.

However, the six-year-old has posted a number of solid efforts to make the frame and is now able to race off a reduced rating of 55.

That is 7lb lower than when last victorious and gives Zed Candy Girl major claims at the weights.

The daughter of Sakhee’s Secret also comes into the race having gone down by just a neck at Wolverhampton three days ago where she was gaining all the way to the line after having to be switched out wide to deliver a challenge when short of room inside the final furlong.

That run showed that Zed Candy Girl’s time was near, and with promising young rider Paddy Bradley taking off 7lb with his claim she looks weighted to take all the beating.

Selections

17.20: Time Square
17.50: Isharah
18.20: Diamond Charlie
18.50: Fit The Bill
19.20: Bennelong
19.50: Chetan (NAP)
20.20: Foie Gras
20.50: Zed Candy Girl(NB)

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