Kempton Park Tips: Handicap success on the cards for Turquino

We’ve got a busy Wednesday on our hands, courtesy of six meetings across Britain and Ireland with something to cater to everyone’s tastes - including an eight-race card, running from 17:18-20:40, on the all-weather at Kempton.

I've picked out three Kempton Park Tips for consideration, featuring a lightly-raced Andrew Balding runner who should have more to give in handicap company.

19:22 - Binhareer @ 3/1

This looks like quite a competitive race for the grade, and William Haggas’s runner, BINHAREER, is the most interesting. He has had three starts so far, and there could be any amount of improvement to come now, especially in tackling handicaps for the first time.

The son of Dark Angel produced a reasonable enough display to finish fifth on debut at Leicester in September. Ralph Beckett’s Starzintheireyes was the winner that day and he went on to win the Group 3 Zetland Stakes at Newmarket.

Binhareer took a huge step forward to get off the mark in very good style at Redcar after that. He travelled powerfully throughout and kicked clear approaching the final furlong before going on to score by a very comfortable margin of two-and-a-half lengths.

Comfortably beaten under a penalty after that, the switch to handicaps should be a big help and it’s hard to argue with an opening mark of 81.

19:52 - Vilaine Verlaine @ 6/1

None of Mark Usher’s five runners in the last fortnight have won, but he runs the lightly raced VILAINE VERLAINE, who could be the one to get him up and running. She has won two of her eight career starts and it’s likely that the best is yet to come.

Getting off the mark in a 1m2f handicap at Chelmsford in October, the step-up in trip was clearly a big help to her and she was well on top at the finish that day. Usher’s filly won a novice at the same track two starts later despite carrying a penalty.

Her fourth at Goodwood off 75 on seasonal debut was a respectable effort and the step up to 1m4f will suit on that evidence. It’s also noted that the handicapper has since dropped her 1lb and she’ll surely be winning more races sooner or later.

20:22 - Turquino @ 9/4

Andrew Balding has a respectable strike rate of 20% here at Kempton in 2025 and already has 10-course winners. Oisin Murphy rides regularly for Balding and his strike rate this year is 30 per cent, so it’s noteworthy that the pair combine with TURQUINO.

This son of Teofilo didn’t hit the racetrack until March, but he made the perfect start to his career by winning very comfortably at Southwell. Following up under a penalty at Newcastle after that, clearly, he possesses a significant amount of ability.

Balding’s gelding was too free on handicap debut and was a little slow to get going, so he can be forgiven for that effort. Returning to the all-weather should be helpful and he deserves another chance or two in this sphere.

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