Is Boothill's bid for Wayward Lad success as simple as his odds suggest?

Tuesday: 1.20 Kempton
Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices' Chase (Grade 2) | 2m | 4yo+ | ITV4/RTV

The recent Wayward Lad roll of honour is a who's who of top-class future chasers and the hope but not necessarily the expectation is that this running produces another.

Edwardstone, Shishkin, Altior and Simonsig feature among a star-studded cast to oblige in the last decade and there is a chance Boothill will join those big names by going off odds-on.

However, Boothill might be undeserving of such support in a warm contest. Each of those four chasers had shown greater form going into the Wayward Lad than Boothill, whose price is more testament to his proximity to Jonbon in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase last time.

Boothill was likely flattered by getting within eight lengths of Britain's leading two-mile novice chaser and there must be a chance any of his three rivals here could have matched, if not bettered that form had they lined up at Sandown.

If the Wayward Lad were a hurdle race then Glory And Fortune, who is rated at least 11lb higher in that sphere than his three rivals, would surely be odds-on rather than around 7-1 here.

The Tom Lacey-trained seven-year-old might have unshipped Stan Sheppard two out on his chasing debut at Cheltenham last time, but shaped promisingly despite a couple of sketchy leaps upsetting his rhythm.

The strong traveller traded at a low of 3.2 in-running that day and while he needs to jump better, Kempton will provide less of a test than Cheltenham will almost a year to the day since he ran second to Epatante in the Christmas Hurdle here on soft.

The fact Glory And Fortune was only 1lb behind Boothill’s Grade 1 second on Racing Post Ratings at Cheltenham reinforces the notion that the two should be brought closer together in the betting.

Five-timer-seeking Lac De Constance is interesting and will enjoy conditions, although he might be seen to best effect over a little further and the market has hardly missed him.

Aucunrisque, a Grade 2 novice hurdle winner at Kempton last season, also merits respect despite slower ground being a negative.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

Glory And Fortune's jumping receives Olympic support

Glory And Fortune finished second behind Epatante in the Christmas Hurdle this time last year and with the assistance of gold medal-winning eventer Laura Collett, he looks to go one better here now over fences.

Jumping was the issue on his chasing debut in the Arkle Trial at Cheltenham last month, where he was in contention before unseating Stan Sheppard two from home, so Tom Lacey has sought help from Olympian Collett to shore up his jumping.

"I thought he was running a hell of a race in the Arkle Trial at Cheltenham prior to his jumping going to pot going away from the stands," Lacey said.

"To be where he was two out having jumped so badly down the back was a mighty effort. We've been taking him up to Laura Collett's for some extra tuition since, so hopefully we can square up his jumping."

Glory And Fortune: yet to score over fences for Tom LaceyCredit: Mark Cranham

On conditions, Lacey added: "He hit the line hard over two and half miles round Newbury, so the soft ground over two miles might help him and it will slow everything else down a bit. I'm looking forward it, he should run a big race."

What they say

Chris Gordon, trainer of Aucunrisque
He's in good order but has obviously got a lot to find on the book. At Newbury last time he got out and jumped like a buck. A good sharp two miles will suit him and he won a Grade 2 [Dovecote] round Kempton last season. We'll just get out, jump and hope for the best.

Harry Fry, trainer of Boothill
I'd hope that he's got a very good chance, he won his bumper at the track and I was pleased to see that they haven't had any more rain at Kempton – the less rain the better for him. He's been having a good campaign and I don't think he was disgraced at all when chasing home Jonbon at Sandown. Obviously there's no Jonbon here but I know how highly Dan [Skelton] thinks of his horse, so it should be an interesting race. Boothill is taking his racing well, so hopefully he should be very competitive.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Lac De Constance
It's a step up in grade but it's around a track we've already looked good at and on ground that is acceptable to have a go in. This will tell us a lot about what we do next with him. Boothill is serious opposition and we're respectful of that.
Reporting by Harry Wilson

Read the rest of Tuesday's previews:

1.10 Leopardstown: Paul Townend: 'This is Chacun's playground and whatever beats him will win'

1.29 Limerick: Can Gordon Elliott strike again? Analysis and quotes for the Limerick feature

1.40 Chepstow: He's improving, big time' - find out which huge Finale outsider is fancied

1.45 Leopardstown: Easy work for Facile Vega? Irish racing's next big thing tackles Grade 1 novice

2.30 Kempton: 'This race fits in perfectly' - Edwardstone primed to play the star role again

2.50 Chepstow: 2022 Welsh Grand National pinstickers' guide: quotes and ratings for every horse

3.00 Leopardstown: Paddy Power Chase: key quotes and insight for one of Ireland's biggest handicaps

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