Sceau straightforward at Kempton

Alan King looks to have found SCEAU

ROYAL the perfect opportunity to get his season off to a winning start in the bet@racingtv.com Hurdle at Kempton.

He may be turning 11 in just over two months, but there have been few better in recent seasons at mixing it over hurdles and fences.

Sceau Royal won this race 12 months ago and went on to follow up in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton a month later, before finishing a closeup third in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle.

Then, with his attentions switched to fences, he was second in the Game Spirit at Newbury and the Celebration Chase at the end of the season.

That form is head and shoulders above anything his four rivals in this are capable of and while he is most likely being teed up for the Elite once more, he can run some way below his best and still collect.

The other Listed race on the card, the Racing TV Novices’ Hurdle, has disappointingly only attracted three runners and one of those, Gary Hanmer’s Tio Mio, looks outclassed.

Gary Moore’s Teddy Blue is well clear on official ratings based on his second to Knight Salute in the Adonis over this course and distance and then he was thrown into the deep end for the Triumph Hurdle were he came up short.

Juveniles can often struggle in their second season, though, so it may be worth taking him on with Dan Skelton’s Boombawn who is a year older and signed off last season with a career best.

He finished second to Knappers Hill in a valuable event at Sandown and the winner came out and won the Silver Trophy at Chepstow off 6lb higher the other day.

The Seamus Mullins-trained Romanor can prevail off bottom weight in the Racing TV Handicap Chase.

Since wind surgery has has two wide-margin wins to his name and that race fitness has to be an advantage.

Rebecca Menzies is a trainer well and truly on the up and her Storm Lorenzo appears to have a solid chance in the Vickers.bet Proud To Sponsor British Racing Durham National Handicap Chase at Sedgefield.