AT THE RACES Amtiyaz can regain that winning feeling

AMTIYAZ was denied a hattrick when he met trouble in running, but he can regain the winning thread in the Try Our New Super Boosts At Unibet Handicap at Kempton tomorrow

That was in a handicap, but he steps up in class here and might just be up to it.

Tex Australia is an interesting runner as she makes her first start for Andrew Balding in the Unibet Extra Place Offers Every Day Novice Stakes.

The four-year-old was previously trained by Waldemar Hickst in Germany and while she was out of luck in five starts for him, there are some intriguing bits of form to consider.

She was tried in Listed company last term, finishing a well-beaten fourth of nine at the first attempt at Hanover, with the form of that race working out nicely with the winner, Sunny Queen, a subsequent Group One scorer while the second is a solid black-type runner.

Tex Australia again fell short against some reasonable types the following month before signing off for Hickst with a down-the-field run in France at the back-end of August.

She subsequently changed hands for 20,000 euros and this 12-furlong heat looks a decent starting point.

Toronado Queen would not be winning out of turn in the Bombardier Handicap at Wolverhampton.

Richard Fahey’s mare is a threetime winner, including at Dunstall Park, and after a couple of dull runs in October and November, she is now back in good form.

She has been placed in her last three outings, most recently at this track the day after Boxing Day when beaten by a very smart rival in Moonlight In Paris.

Out of the handicap that day, she is back at a more realistic level now and should be hard to keep out of the frame.

Batraan can open his account in the Heed Your Hunch At Betway Maiden Stakes.

He has been knocking on the door in three all-weather starts to date, most recently finishing second to Radrizzani over five furlongs here back in November.

Roger Varian’s charge was conceding 5lb to the winner and hardly helped his chance with a slow start, but he just could not match his rival’s finish on that occasion.

He had previously placed twice over six furlongs, so moving back up in trip here should not be an issue.

FULL SELECTIONS

KEMPTON: 3.40 Trepidation, 4.10 Henley Park, 4.40 Acquisitor, 5.10 Iesha, 5.45 Tex Australia, 6.15 AMTIYAZ (NAP), 6.45 Tranchee, 7.15 Bowling Russian.

WOLVERHAMPTON: 12.45 Jumira Bridge, 1.15 Batraan, 1.50 Deconso, 2.20 Gigi’s Beach, 2.55 Toronado Queen, 3.25 Born To Sire, 3.55 Thematic.

DOUBLE: Amtiyaz and Tranchee. n DAVID Thompson, joint-owner of Cheveley Park Stud, has died, aged 84.

In 1992 Thompson purchased Party Politics as a present for his wife, Patricia, just two days before he won the Grand National.

John Gosden has high hopes with Amtiyaz at Kempton tomorrow.