It’s Victory formation at Kempton
EASTER CLASSIC winner Victory Bond can make his first trip to Kempton a successful one in the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Hyde Stakes.
William Haggas’ all-weather champion proved that point on Good Friday when he was too strong for Master The World off level weights to scoop a first prize of almost £125,000 at Lingfield.
The five-year-old has had just one run on the turf since, finishing sixth of seven in a Listed race at Ascot in early May.
He is reunited with James Doyle for this fast-track qualifier return to his day job on the Polytrack, and his winning prospects were underlined for all to see just last weekend when Master The World emerged from a fallow summer to win Lingfield’s Churchill Stakes.
Haggas’ Lincoln victor Addeybb was among those unable to deal with Master The World there, another endorsement of Victory Bond’s standing.
His high-profile Lingfield win came over 10 furlongs, and all four career successes have come at further than the mile he faces here, but his running style indicates no issue with the slight drop in distance.
Ian Williams has proved he is a man for all seasons and all surfaces, and he can illustrate the point again with Baydar in the 32Red Handicap.
The five-year-old has been taking on exalted company of late on turf, and meets nothing quite with the potential of November Handicap winner Royal Line here.
Baydar did well to finish less than six lengths behind John Gosden’s colt at Doncaster two weekends ago, and before that was outstayed by only favourite Arrowtown in a muddy York handicap over an extended two miles.
A Lingfield maiden winner for Hugo Palmer as a two-year-old, his turf exploits have since taken over, but this return to the all-weather can pay dividends for his astute trainer.
Delire D’Estruval beat two subsequent winners on his fencing debut and is confidently expected to follow up in Warwick’s Highflyer Bloodstock Novices’ Chase.
Ben Pauling’s novice was slightly inconsistent but had some useful form over hurdles last season - and his hardfought neck win over Stowaway Magic was a highly-encouraging start over fences.
The five-year-old looks a useful recruit and can score again on the forecast decent ground over the minimum trip.
Beat That is double Delire D’Estruval’s age, but was high class in his youth and has been back in good heart of late.
He does not look over-burdened in the Smarkets Veterans’ Handicap Chase - and although he was no match for the impressive Exitas in a similar race at Aintree last time, Nicky Henderson’s 10-year-old acquitted himself well enough in second.
Beat That twice landed the odds on quick ground in August and September, and is sure to remain competitive in prevailing conditions.
It may be more of a slog up at Hexham, but that should not be a problem for the promising Hill Sixteen in the British Stallion Studs EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle.