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With no Flat action this week, we bring you two selections from the sole two jumps cards in the UK and Ireland on Monday – Kempton and Ludlow…
Kempton has struggled for entries across the card but the 2m Class 4 EBF Stallions "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle (12:50) has attracted a field of ten runners with plenty of chances. Of the top three in the market, it may be worth sticking with Alan King's Dancing In Brazil (7/2) who sits at an attractive price following a mishap on hurdling debut when unseating jockey Tom Cannon at Wincanton.
The four-year-old gelding is a half-brother to Nicky Henderson's Thomas Campbell (placed at Grade 2 level over hurdles) and Lisp (multiple winner and placed at Grade 2 over fences) and showed a good standard of bumper form last season, including a third in a Listed Cheltenham contest at the start of the year. Breeding would suggest he will improve for an obstacle and if the unseat at Wincanton is ignored, 7/2 could be a little big.
SELECTION – DANCING IN BRAZIL – 7/2
We head to Ludlow for our second selection, a longer-priced option in the 3m Class 5 Racing Welfare Handicap Hurdle (2:15). Kim Bailey is in flying form with a 41% strike rate from the last fourteen days (7-17) and he is represented by Samatian, who is available at 12/1 after being pulled up on seasonal reappearance at Stratford-on-Avon. Although the gelding has always shown a tendency to be keen, it was unusual to see David Bass forced to take Samatian down to post early after mounting in the chute and it could be argued that we didn't see his true form that day.
The six-year-old produced consistent performances throughout last season (one win and four placings from six outings) including a good second at Warwick in December, and he can possibly be excused for his antics on reappearance. Further improvement could be sparked by the step up to three miles and the yard's current form suggests a better performance is in the offing.
SELECTION – SAMATIAN – 12/1