6:54 Kempton (AW)
A competitive Class 4 handicap over a mile at Kempton on standard to slow ground brings together seven three-year-olds, several with previous success at the track and trip. The KTB Fit Scores point to a tight contest at the top of the market, headed by Starlight Time on 64, with Go Rimbaud close behind on 60. Recent form is mixed across the field, but course-and-distance winners and those with placed efforts here stand out, while the strong pace anticipated should play into the hands of those who can come from off the pace.
How the race shapes up
With two confirmed front-runners in Go Rimbaud and Elan d'Or, and Wuood likely to race prominently from stall one, the pace shape is predicted to be strong. This should set the race up for hold-up performers, with Starlight Time, Radiance, Fallacious Promise and Suggy all capable of producing their effort late. The key question is whether the leaders can sustain their gallop or if the pace will collapse in the straight, allowing the closers to capitalise.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Starlight Time KTB Selection64/100
Starlight Time is a fair performer who has already won both here and at today's trip. Recent form has been mixed but the Kempton success on his only previous visit carries obvious weight. Trainer Roger Varian's solid 21% strike-rate at the track adds further interest though the small overall sample means the going remains an unproven factor on standard to slow. Robbie Downey takes the ride with a 14% strike rate at Kempton and an A/E of 1.88 from 22 rides. Usually held up and producing its effort late from draw 6, the three-year-old looks well placed to benefit if the strong pace materialises as expected. The KTB Selection.
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2Go Rimbaud60/100
Go Rimbaud is a fair performer who has won twice this year and showed his best form when winning here over this trip on his penultimate start. He has run creditably on both subsequent outings and handles standard to slow ground having scored once from three starts on the surface with three placings. First-time headgear is now applied as he drops in class. The John & Thady Gosden yard has a 21% strike rate at Kempton from 368 runs while Robert Havlin is 11% from 1632 rides at the track. A habitual front-runner from draw 4, he is sure to set a strong gallop that could test the field late.
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3Radiance55/100
Radiance is a fair performer who showed useful form when winning a novice here last year before a couple of lesser efforts. Dropping back to 1m today after a poor return over 1m2f, he is now tried in first-time headgear. The George Boughey stable has a solid 14% strike rate from 299 runs at Kempton and Billy Loughnane is 15% from 421 rides at the venue. With no previous experience of standard to slow ground the going is an unknown, as is his course record beyond that initial novice win. Usually held up and producing its effort late from stall 7, he could be suited by the anticipated strong pace.
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4Elan d'Or53/100
Elan d'Or is a fair performer who has won once from three starts at Kempton and also has a win on standard to slow ground from two starts with two placings. He has placed on his last two starts here and looks ready to go well again from stall five. Trainer Stuart Williams has a 12% strike rate from 923 runs at the track while jockey Marco Ghiani is 0 from 5 here this season. Tending to make the running or race on the pace, he will be right up there early in what is expected to be a strong gallop. Recent form of -50335 shows consistent placed efforts without winning lately.
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5Fallacious Promise53/100
Fallacious Promise is a fair performer who has won three times this year including at this trip. Has already scored at Kempton from three runs here and handles the standard to slow surface with a placing from his only start on it. Stepping up in class having won twice on the spin, the John Butler-trained gelding is another who usually races held up and produces its effort late.
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6Suggy50/100
Suggy is a fair performer who has won three times this year including twice at this trip. He has already scored over course and distance on standard to slow ground and arrives in solid form after two recent wins. Stepping up in class, the Charles Hills-trained colt usually races held up and produces its effort late from draw 2.
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7Wuood39/100
Wuood has shown fair ability in two runs so far, finishing second on debut before winning a minor event last time. He steps up in trip to 1m today having been beaten at the distance on his only previous try, which poses a fresh question. The Richard Hannon yard posts an 11% strike rate from 1445 runs at Kempton while Sean Levey is aboard. Likely to race prominently from the inside draw.
KTB verdict
Starlight Time is the KTB Selection. A fair performer who has already won both here and at today's trip, his Kempton success on his only previous visit carries obvious weight and the trainer's solid record at the venue adds further interest. Usually held up, he is well positioned to benefit from the strong pace that is likely to unfold. The main dangers are Go Rimbaud, who sets the pace and has strong recent form here, and Radiance, who returns to a more suitable trip in first-time headgear, while Elan d'Or and the in-form pair Fallacious Promise and Suggy cannot be ruled out.
KTB Selection Starlight Time
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:13 UTC, 4 Sep. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Starlight Time | 7/2 | 7Bet |
| Go Rimbaud | 11/4 | Bet Victor |
| Radiance | 35/1 | 7Bet |
| Elan d'Or | 8/1 | Bet365 |
| Fallacious Promise | 5/1 | 7Bet |
| Suggy | 7/2 | Bet365 |
| Wuood | 8/1 | Bet365 |
This is the narrative read of the 6:54 Kempton (AW). For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Kempton (AW) racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Kempton (AW) results & records page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horses are proven course-and-distance winners at Kempton on standard to slow ground?
Starlight Time, Go Rimbaud, Suggy and Fallacious Promise have all won at Kempton over a mile, with Go Rimbaud, Suggy and Fallacious Promise having experience on standard to slow.
How does the strong pace shape influence the race?
The presence of habitual front-runners Go Rimbaud and Elan d'Or, plus prominent Wuood, points to a strong pace that could collapse late and favour hold-up horses such as Starlight Time, Radiance, Fallacious Promise and Suggy.
Which runners are making their first start in headgear?
Go Rimbaud and Radiance are both fitted with first-time headgear.
Who are the unproven runners on standard to slow ground?
Starlight Time, Radiance and Wuood have no previous runs on standard to slow going.
Which trainer has the strongest strike rate at Kempton in this race?
Roger Varian has a 21% strike rate at Kempton from 762 runs, ahead of John & Thady Gosden on 21% from 368 runs.
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