'We hope it can set him up for lots of good targets this winter' - analysis and trainer quotes for Kempton mile handicap

Some powerhouse stables are represented in this handicap and none more so than John and Thady Gosden's Clarehaven operation, which sends out Roi De France in his bid to bounce back from a below-par effort in the Cambridgeshire last time.

Roi De France went off 17-2 fourth favourite in the big Newmarket handicap but was beaten 12 lengths by winner Liberty Lane in 19th. However, he finished fifth of 12 in his group and that was after racing too keenly on his first run away from quick ground. He had no chance of getting home after pulling hard on such soft going.

He is drawn on the inside in stall one here and rider Oisin Murphy will have a good chance to get cover. That might help Roi De France to settle and it seems fair to assume this surface may be more suitable than last time given he was second at Lingfield on his sole start on sand.

Andrew Balding saddles Notre Belle Bete, who is one of two runners for owner King Power Racing, and the six-year-old has never been out of the frame in four starts over course and distance. He is 1lb lower than when fourth in this race last year and has run only twice subsequently.

His latest run was a good fifth in the Wolferton at Royal Ascot in June and he has won after a break of 128 days before. That suggests he has a chance on this return from 155 days off.

Fantastic Fox is King Power’s other runner and he represents Roger Varian, who has a 24 per cent strike-rate at Kempton in the last five years. Jack Mitchell is a positive booking, but Fantastic Fox also hasn’t been seen since Royal Ascot and has never won after a lengthy break.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

Going update

The going for the all-weather fixture is standard to slow. A partly cloudy raceday is expected with temperatures on the cold side.

What they say

Clive Cox, trainer of Kingdom Come
He's proven on the all-weather but he's got quite a lengthy absence to overcome. We're looking forward to getting back started with him and we hope he can put up a nice run to go forward from it.

Alastair Donald, racing manager to King Power Racing, owners of Notre Belle Bete and Fantastic Fox
Notre Belle Bete has been off for a while with an injury and might just need the run. We hope it can set him up nicely for lots of good targets this winter. Fantastic Fox had a great time on the all-weather last winter and we left him alone after Royal Ascot for a similar campaign this time. He might need this too but should run well.

Michael Wigham, trainer of Longlai
He won here in June and he's fresh and ready to go after finishing fifth here in September. He's got a good record at the track and we're hoping for another good run.

Tom Clover, trainer of Harvard Sound
He's training well. He was a bit rusty on his first try in handicap company at Southwell last time, but that'll have sharpened him up a bit and the extra furlong should suit. We're up against battle-hardened horses, but he likes the surface and has a low weight. We hope he can run well.
Reporting by Matt Rennie

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