1pt each-way William Henry @13/2, 1pt win Topofthegame @9/1, 14:40 Kempton, Saturday

We’re treated to an intriguing renewal of the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton this Saturday, and I fancy leading staying hurdler Wholestone’s efforts this season have marked up the form of a couple of the runners.

They are WILLIAM HENRY and TOPOFTHEGAME, both switching back to hurdles from chasing for the powerful Henderson and Nicholls yards.

Both chased home Wholestone at Cheltenham last season in a red-hot race featuring several subsequent winners, including Grade 1-winner Poetic Rhythm.

The staying novices from last season seem to be good ones this year and I fancy these two to be ahead of their ratings – and their placement here is further evidence of that.

Despite top weight, William Henry looks to be on a very workable mark and the 5lb claim he receives from his jockey only exaggerates that.

At 13/2 he’s a nice price to argue he is – and given he’s never finished outside the first two over hurdles, each-way is the play.

Topofthegame was giving William Henry 7lb when they last met in that Grade 2 hurdle won by Wholestone at Cheltenham last season, where seven lengths split them, and he is the one receiving 6lb this time at the ratings so has a good chance of reversing the form.

Only 1lb will split them in this because of William Henry’s claimer, and I think the latter is the better horse so it’s Henderson’s runner who looks most solid.

But Topofthegame has clearly been targeted at this by Paul Nicholls, who is quite vocal of how highly he rates him and a frequent winner of this race, and at 9/1 he’s too tempting a price to miss.

1pt each-way William Henry @13/2, 14:40 Kempton, Saturday
1pt win Topofthegame @9/1, 14:40 Kempton, Saturday

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