Kempton preview: American Artist and Moore a potent combination

Jockey Ryan Moore and trainer Roger Varian do tremendously well when teaming up, and American Artist can provide them with another success in the 1m handicap on this evening’s competitive seven-race card at Kempton (19.20).

Moore has been successful on nine occasions from 26 rides for Varian since 2013, a strike rate of 34.6 per cent.

In American Artist the three-times champion jockey partners an unexposed gelding who looks potentially ahead of his current mark of 77.

The son of Danehill Dancer shaped with stacks of promise on debut as a juvenile when a close-up fourth at Haydock, and duly improved for the experience to readily open his account at Goodwood in good style.

After travelling strongly on the heels of the leaders, American Arist was produced to take up the running approaching the final furlong and showed a smart turn of foot to beat Quick Defence by one length.

The pair pulled 3 3/4 lengths clear of the field, and the runner-up has gone on to score since and is now rated 90 after finishing a cracking seventh of 28 to War Envoy in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out.

That is very strong form and makes American Artist’s current handicap mark look very exploitable.

Although disappointing on seasonal reappearance at Goodwood when backed as if defeat was out of the question, American Arist ran far too freely on an undulating track which clearly didn’t suit and is definitely worth another chance now returned to a more conventional venue.

Albonny has a good record at the track and can further enhance it by landing the spoils in the 2m handicap (20.20).

Trained by Timothy Jarvis, the gelding is a three-time course and distance winner, and in the last of those successes 12 months ago ran on strongly to easily beat Dumbfounded by 2 1/4 lengths off a mark of 67.

The six-year-old backed that up with a solid third at Haydock off 71, and is now able to race off 70 having signalled that his time was near when going down by a head to Songsmith over course and distance last month.

Albonny now meets the winner on 4lb better terms, and that should be more than enough for him to turn the tables.

Another plus is that the stable is in good form, and the booking of William Buick to do the steering suggest connections mean business as he was successful on his only previous ride for the yard.

Selections:
18.20: Celestial Knight
18.50: Born To Be Bad
19.20: American Artist (NAP)
19.50: Aberlady
20.20: Albonny (NB)
20.50: Rosenbaum
21.20: Surety