English/Ire
King’s best bet – 25th February 2026
Sam King is back with two selections following a winner at Newcastle yesterday.
It's always nice when you find a winner that you truly believe is the wrong price, which certainly proved the case when Seven Fires struck at Newcastle.
My eyes will be firmly on Hidden Force this evening as he bids to continue Charlie Appleby's remarkable record in the "European Road To The Kentucky Derby" Conditions Stakes at Kempton this evening. He's landed the prize with the likes of Group 1 heroes Notable Speech and Opera Ballo in recent years, and it will be interesting to see what Hidden Force is capable of against tougher opposition here.
He's clearly no betting proposition at around 1/2 but there are a couple of wagers to be had on the card, starting with Saturday Again in the Unibet Support Safer Gambling Handicap (5.05).
Current favourite Electrocution looked to benefit from an exaggerated hold-up ride when coming home a neck to the good at Wolverhampton last time and I suspect he might prove vulnerable off a 4lb higher mark.
Of the alternatives, Hove Ranger makes obvious appeal but at the prices, Saturday Again, who has been weak in the early markets, could be the one to side with.
Simon Dow is no stranger to success on the all-weather at Kempton and it's interesting that this daughter of Roseman now steps back up to seven furlongs on her handicap bow.
She showed almost nothing in her first three outings as a juvenile, but despite being sent off 200/1, came home a fairly promising fifth in a Lingfield maiden over six furlongs on her return to action in January.
Having travelled well in the first-time hood, which is retained this evening, she understandably ran green when under pressure before keeping on steadily after being outpaced.
The form of that Lingfield maiden by no means looks completely useless either, with Charlie Hills' winner posting a fairly decent figure to score on debut, while the runner-up of Andrew Balding's has since bolted up second time out at Kempton.
With the step back up to seven furlongs to suit on her handicap debut and off an opening mark of 50, Simon Dow's filly looks like an interesting proposition in the opener.
Saturday Again – 1pt Win
Odds – 15/2
Popmaster might well prove too strong in the Bet £20 Get £20 With Unibet Handicap (6.10) but God Of War looks like an interesting alternative at a much bigger price.
Tom Clover's charge hasn't exactly proved a model of consistency in his career thus far but there's no doubt that he's capable of putting up good performances, as proven by his taking success on soft ground at Sandown last season alongside his narrow second on his seasonal return at Chester.
He might just be the type to catch when fresh and with Popmaster almost guaranteed to make the running, Tom Clover's four-year-old could find himself nicely positioned from a kind draw in stall three.
Her dam, Lady Freyja is a half-sister to the talented all-weather performer Party Boss so there's hope in the pedigree that this surface might suit, while the booking of top apprentice Jack Callan, who takes off a valuable 5lb still, suggests that he'll have done enough work to do himself justice following a break.
God Of War – 1pt Win
Odds – 8/1
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