KEMPTON PREVIEW | Wednesday’s all-weather action

A mammoth nine-race card awaits punters on Wednesday evening, with several double-digit fields featuring on the schedule at Kempton.

The action gets underway in Sunbury-on-Thames at 4.35 and concludes at 8.50.

A Class 3 1m4f Handicap heads the action, with Roger Varian’s Valyrian Steel sitting at the top of the betting.

The four-year-old has won three of his five career starts but he has been bumped up 4lbs for his C&D success two weeks ago.

He faces two tough competitors in Almareekh and Taqareer, but Varian’s colt is considered the one to beat here.

A wide-open Class 4 1m Handicap also holds some interest, with four runners sharing favouritism in the market.

Prioritise, Professional Widow, Zaajirah and Renaissance Rose are all currently priced at 4/1, with the latter being a C&D winner here back in August.

Sir Mark Prescott’s Royal Pleasure is a deserved favourite in the Class 4 7f Handicap, after landing two wins in his first three starts.

He does face a stern opponent in Mark Johnston’s Red Mirage, who is yet to taste defeat after two starts on the all-weather.

Charlie Appleby holds a strong duo of runners in the opening two contests. Manobo will be looking to follow up his debut success at Newbury with a first victory on the all-weather in a 1m4f Class 5 Novice Stakes, while Before Dawn can build on her runner-up finish at Newmarket by landing the 6f Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

Beheld, a son of Frankel, will be aiming to continue his promising start under rules in the first 7f Novice Stakes of the evening under Roger Charlton, and Sir Michael Stoute’s Thaler could show further promise in the second 7f Novice Stakes shortly after.

Ralph Beckett’s Apollinaire is dropped down to Class 5 level for the first time in two years for a 7f Handicap, while Teqany is switched back to the flat for a 2m Handicap after a stint over hurdles for Fergal O’Brien.

A cracking evening of racing to look forward to tomorrow evening at Kempton.