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Megan Nicholls Racing Preview: Kempton Park & Haydock Sprint Cup Tips

SATURDAY RACING TIPS

Kempton 2.00 – Sirenia Stakes

Adrian Keatley and Tom Marquand are teaming up on Symbol Of Strength (5/4 fav).

He improved massively from his first to second start when winning nicely at Ayr before improving again at York only to get beaten a length in the Gimcrack Stakes.

It was a massive performance. He showed plenty of speed and held his position nicely in the early part of the race and wasn’t beaten far at all by horses that had more experience than him at a higher level.

That could have just made a man of Symbol Of Strength. He’s well drawn for Kempton. I imagine he’ll be ridden prominently once again. I think this horse has a massive chance, provided he takes to the polytrack.

Megan’s Tip: Symbol Of Strength WIN

Haydock 2.25 – Old Borough Cup

I’m going to go with Divine Comedy (13/2), who has had a great season.

Narrowly beaten at the Royal Meeting in the Ascot Stakes, he was not disgraced at York last time when beaten by a couple of horses carrying well under a stone less than him.

He possibly did a little bit too much early in the race that day so I’m hoping that, given he’s starting in stall 14 for this, the team decides to take their time with him a little bit and give him a bit of cover halfway.

Divine Comedy goes well at Haydock, any rain won't be an issue and jockey Kaiya Fraser gets on with him exceptionally well.

He’s obviously on a tough mark now but he’s had an exceptional season and I trust him to put in a good run more than one or two others. He’s race fit, which we can’t say about one or two others as well, so I’m sticking with Divine Comedy here.

Megan’s Tip: Divine Comedy WIN

Kempton 2.35 – September Stakes

Hamish (15/8 fav) is the obvious pick here.

He’s had an amazing start to the season – although he was not so good last time out and has been given a bit of a break.

His official mark of 117 while carrying 9st 10lbs means Kalpana (9/4) is well in given her official mark of 107 carrying only 8st 10lbs. So there’s a four-pound difference in comparison to the ratings here and I think Kalpana is a rapidly improving filly.

Her form this year has been very good. She did very well in the Ribblesdale when she wasn’t beaten far. She ran well in the Pretty Polly prior to that as well.

I think Kalpana could just be the one here, who is nicely treated in this field and could be a very smart filly with improvement still to come.

Megan’s Tip: Kalpana WIN

Haydock 3.00 – Be Friendly Handicap

We are back to a sprint and I am going to go with Jer Batt (7/1).

He enjoys a bit of juice in the ground. We can put a line through his last start at Southwell – it was definitely not his best performance and he never really got involved. It was too bad to be true.

Prior to that, Jer Batt was a course and distance winner at Haydock. He goes well with cut in the ground and is a solid sprinter.

He’s done well since joining this yard and Rossa Ryan on board is a positive jockey booking.

Megan’s Tip: Jer Batt WIN

Haydock 3.35 – Sprint Cup

It’s great to see a big field for the Sprint Cup – and a very competitive one at that.

We saw the older horses got the better of the three-year-olds in the July Cup. I’m not sure if that can be the same again.

Karl Burke has an unbelievably strong hand. It can’t have been an easy decision for jockey Clifford Lee but the fact he’s gone with Elite Status (5/1) is telling to an extent. He is drawn next to the owner’s other runner, Inisherin (10/3 fav), and both horses like to be ridden prominently.

Inisherin will appreciate the juice in the ground. He wasn’t at his best last time at Newmarket – he didn’t have that zip we’re used to seeing from him – but it was off the back of a big performance at Ascot and sometimes it can catch up with him a little bit.

He’s changed to sprinting and has been running in very high-level races. He didn’t disgrace himself by any means in that July Cup defeat as he was beaten by under three lengths.

Inisherin’s been given a bit of time and I can totally understand why he’s been supported in the market. I do think he will take all the beating here and will enjoy the rain.

Each way I’m going to throw in Bucanero Fuerte (10/1), who is another who has had a bit of time off the track and doesn’t mind a bit of juice in the ground.

Megan’s Tip: Inisherin WIN; Bucanero Fuerte EW

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Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation

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