Kempton Preview: Minute can make mincemeat of rivals

Unforgiving Minute has an ultra-progressive profile and can defy a further rise in the weights to land the hat-trick in the 7f handicap on today’s twilight card at Kempton (7.15).

The Clive Cox trained colt is unbeaten in three runs on the polytrack surface, and all of those victories have come at this venue.

The son of Cape Cross was particularly impressive on his penultimate start over today’s 7f trip when travelling strongly throughout before quickening clear at the furlong marker to win easing down by 3 1/4 lengths.

Unforgiving Minute was hit with an 8lb rise for that runaway success, but it was not enough to stop him following up by a neck in a much hotter contest over a mile here last time out.

To me the three-year-old was value for more than the winning margin as he raced very keenly in the early stages but found plenty when push came to shove, and a further 4lb rise is unlikely to be enough to stop Unforgiving Minute going in again.

The drop back to 7f should certainly suit, and Unforgiving Minute remains open to further progression after just five starts.

Other pluses are that his handler has a healthy strike-rate of just over 23% with his runners at the venue in the past 12 months, and Unforgiving Minute also has the services of Adam Kirby in the saddle who rides the track extremely well and is 3-3 on him.

In the 7f handicap that closes the card (7.45), Multitask has plenty going for him now stepped back up in trip.

The Michael Madgwick trained gelding has notched all six of his career successes on the polytrack surface, and two of those have come over course and distance.

The last of those came three starts back where the son of Multiplex put in an impressive display to come from last to first and beat Freddy With A Y by a cosy 3/4 of a length.

Multitask has since put in two solid efforts to finish fourth in 6f contests at this venue, on each occasion not having the race run to suit.

The four-year-old needs a strong pace to be seen to best effect, and was left with far too much to do last time out in a slow run affair.

I think this race will be run at a decent gallop, and granted luck in-running Multitask looks the one they all have to beat.

Selections:
4.15: Bush Beauty
4.45: Dreaming Again
5.15: Warden Bond
5.45: Black Truffle
6.15: Showtime Blues
6.45: Asia Minor
7.15: Unforgiving Minute (NAP)
7.45: Multitask (NB)