Dukes Delight was a costly failure on her handicap debut last time out but is strongly fancied at 11/4 to make amends and land the 6.30 at Kempton this evening.
David Lanigan’s charge was backed down from the advised 7/2 into 6/4 favourite when third of 12 to Diletta Tommasa at Lingfield where she was beaten just a 1/4 of a length after a far from inspired ride from Ted Durcan.
She was tucked in behind the leaders in a slow run affair and her rider didn’t get busy early enough or subject her to anything like a hard race.
When he finally did ask her for her effort she picked up well and stayed on strongly inside the last but was never quite going to overhaul the leaders.
There is little doubt in my mind that she should have won that race and is well ahead of the handicapper and she now gets into this off the same mark of 64.
Prior to that run she had been brought along steadily in three maiden runs and was a massive eye-catcher on last of those when fourth of 11 to Spirit Rider over 1m 1f at Wolverhampton.
Held-up off the pace that day in midfield, she began to make good headway when running very wide on the home turn and then stayed on inside the last under very tender handing to be beaten 2 3/4 lengths.
Once again her rider Ted Durcan seemed at pains not to touch her with ths stick and the filly finished with stacks of running left in her.
It was an effort which immediately marked her down in my book as one to keep firmly on side in handicaps, and her run last time at Lingfield confirmed that view.
Connections are also now upping her in trip another 2f to 1m 4f, and that looks sure to suit given the way she has finsihed off her races in her last two starts.
Providing her rider gets the tactics right this time she should prove far too good for today’s rivals and rates the best bet on the card.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 4pts win Dukes Delight (11/4 bet365, Betfred – BOG)